An Updated Review on the Modulation of Carbon Partitioning and Allocation in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Plants

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate biotrophs that supply mineral nutrients to the host plant in exchange for carbon derived from photosynthesis. Sucrose is the end-product of photosynthesis and the main compound used by plants to translocate photosynthates to non-photosynthetic tissues. AMF alter carbon distribution in plants by modifying the expression and activity of key enzymes of sucrose biosynthesis, transport, and/or catabolism. Since sucrose is essential for the maintenance of all metabolic and physiological processes, the modifications addressed by AMF can significantly affect plant development and stress responses. AMF also modulate plant lipid biosynthesis to acquire storage reserves, generate biomass, and fulfill its life cycle. In this review we address the most relevant aspects of the influence of AMF on sucrose and lipid metabolism in plants, including its effects on sucrose biosynthesis both in photosynthetic and heterotrophic tissues, and the influence of sucrose on lipid biosynthesis in the context of the symbiosis. We present a hypothetical model of carbon partitioning between plants and AMF in which the coordinated action of sucrose biosynthesis, transport, and catabolism plays a role in the generation of hexose gradients to supply carbon to AMF, and to control the amount of carbon assigned to the fungus.

An electroceutical approach enhances myelination via upregulation of lipid biosynthesis in the dorsal root ganglion

As the myelin sheath is crucial for neuronal saltatory conduction, loss of myelin in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) leads to demyelinating neuropathies causing muscular atrophy, numbness, foot deformities and paralysis. Unfortunately, few interventions are available for such neuropathies, because previous pharmaceuticals have shown severe side effects and failed in clinical trials. Therefore, exploring new strategies to enhance PNS myelination is critical to provide solution for such intractable diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of electrical stimulation (ES) to enhance myelination in the mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) – an ex vivo model of the PNS. Mouse embryonic DRGs were extracted at E13 and seeded onto Matrigel-coated surfaces. After sufficient growth and differentiation, screening was carried out by applying ES in the 1-100 Hz range at the beginning of the myelination process. DRG myelination was evaluated via immunostaining at the intermediate (19 DIV) and mature (30 DIV) stages. Further biochemical analyses were carried out by utilizing RNA sequencing, qPCR and biochemical assays at both intermediate and mature myelination stages. Imaging of DRG myelin lipids was carried out via time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). With screening ES conditions, optimal condition was identified at 20 Hz, which enhanced the percentage of myelinated neurons and average myelin length not only at intermediate (129% and 61%) but also at mature (72% and 17%) myelination stages. Further biochemical analyses elucidated that ES promoted lipid biosynthesis in the DRG. ToF-SIMS imaging showed higher abundance of the structural lipids, cholesterol and sphingomyelin, in the myelin membrane. Therefore, promotion of lipid biosynthesis and higher abundance of myelin lipids led to ES-mediated myelination enhancement. Given that myelin lipid deficiency is culpable for most demyelinating PNS neuropathies, the results might pave a new way to treat such diseases via electroceuticals.

Combined Transcriptome and Lipidomic Analyses of Lipid Biosynthesis in Macadamia ternifolia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are considered a high-quality oil crop worldwide. To date, the lipid diversity and the genetic factors that mediate storage lipid biosynthesis in Macadamia ternifolia are poorly known. Here, we performed a comprehensive transcriptomic and lipidomic data analysis to understand the mechanism of lipid biosynthesis by using young, medium-aged, and mature fruit kernels. Our lipidomic analysis showed that the M. ternifolia kernel was a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, different species of triacylglycerols, diacylglycerol, ceramides, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidic acid had altered accumulations during the developmental stages. The transcriptome analysis revealed a large percentage of differently expressed genes during the different stages of macadamia growth. Most of the genes with significant differential expression performed functional activity of oxidoreductase and were enriched in the secondary metabolite pathway. The integration of lipidomic and transcriptomic data allowed for the identification of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, diacylglycerol kinase, phosphatidylinositols, nonspecific phospholipase C, pyruvate kinase 2, 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase, and linoleate 9S-lipoxygenase as putative candidate genes involved in lipid biosynthesis, storage, and oil quality. Our study found comprehensive datasets of lipidomic and transcriptomic changes in the developing kernel of M. ternifolia. In addition, the identification of candidate genes provides essential prerequisites to understand the molecular mechanism of lipid biosynthesis in the kernel of M. ternifolia.

Phosphorus and Nitrogen Limitation as a Part of the Strategy to Stimulate Microbial Lipid Biosynthesis

Microbial lipids called a sustainable alternative to traditional vegetable oils invariably capture the attention of researchers. In this study, the effect of limiting inorganic phosphorus (KH2PO4) and nitrogen ((NH4)2SO4) sources in lipid-rich culture medium on the efficiency of cellular lipid biosynthesis by Y. lipolytica yeast has been investigated. In batch cultures, the carbon source was rapeseed waste post-frying oil (50 g/dm3). A significant relationship between the concentration of KH2PO4 and the amount of lipids accumulated has been revealed. In the shake-flask cultures, storage lipid yield was correlated with lower doses of phosphorus source in the medium. In bioreactor culture in mineral medium with (g/dm3) 3.0 KH2PO4 and 3.0 (NH4)2SO4, the cellular lipid yield was 47.5% (w/w). Simultaneous limitation of both phosphorus and nitrogen sources promoted lipid accumulation in cells, but at the same time created unfavorable conditions for biomass growth (0.78 gd.m./dm3). Increased phosphorus availability with limited cellular access to nitrogen resulted in higher biomass yields (7.45 gd.m./dm3) than phosphorus limitation in a nitrogen-rich medium (4.56 gd.m./dm3), with comparable lipid yields (30% and 32%). Regardless of the medium composition, the yeast preferentially accumulated oleic and linoleic acids as well as linolenic acid up to 8.89%. Further, it is crucial to determine the correlation between N/P molar ratios, biomass growth and efficient lipid accumulation. In particular, considering the contribution of phosphorus as a component of coenzymes in many metabolic pathways, including lipid biosynthesis and respiration processes, its importance as a factor in the cultivation of the oleaginous microorganisms was highlighted.

An integrated omics analysis reveals the gene expression profiles of rapeseed, castor bean, and maize for seed oil biosynthesis

Background Seed storage lipids are valuable for human diet and for the sustainable development of mankind. In recent decades, many lipid metabolism genes and pathways have been identified, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie species differences in seed oil biosynthesis are not fully understood. Results To investigate the molecular mechanisms of seed oil accumulation in different species, we performed comparative genome and transcriptome analyses of rapeseed and castor bean, which have high seed oil contents, and maize, which has a low seed oil content. The results uncovered the molecular mechanism of the low and high seed oil content in maize and castor bean, respectively. Transcriptome analyses showed that more than 61% of the lipid- and carbohydrate-related genes were regulated in rapeseed and castor bean, but only 20.1% of the lipid-related genes and 22.5% of the carbohydrate-related genes were regulated in maize. Compared to rapeseed and castor bean, fewer lipid biosynthesis genes but more lipid metabolism genes were regulated in the maize embryo. More importantly, most maize genes encoding lipid-related transcription factors, triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthetic enzymes, pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and Calvin Cycle proteins were not regulated during seed oil synthesis, despite the presence of many homologs in the maize genome. These results revealed the molecular underpinnings of the low seed oil content in maize. In castor bean, we observed differential regulation of vital oil biosynthetic enzymes and extremely high expression levels of oil biosynthetic genes, which were consistent with the rapid accumulation of oil in castor bean developing seeds. Conclusions Compared to oil seed (rapeseed and castor bean), less oil biosynthetic genes were regulated during the seed development in non-oil seed (maize). These results shed light on molecular mechanisms of lipid biosynthesis in rapeseed, castor bean, and maize. They can provide information on key target genes that may be useful for future experimental manipulation of oil production in oilseed crops.