Premium
Lipid storage: Yeast we can!
Author(s) -
Athenstaedt Karin,
Daum Günther
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
european journal of lipid science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.614
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1438-9312
pISSN - 1438-7697
DOI - 10.1002/ejlt.201100051
Subject(s) - yeast , biochemistry , lipid droplet , enzyme , chemistry , lipid metabolism , cytosol , anabolism , hydrolysis , membrane lipids , membrane
Waste not, want not! This saying also applies to the yeast. In times of excess this microorganism synthesizes non‐polar lipids, triacylglycerols (TAG) and steryl esters (SE), which serve as energy source and/or as a source of building blocks for the formation of membrane phospholipids when nutriments become limiting. Due to the lack of charged groups substantial amounts of non‐polar lipids cannot be incorporated into cellular membranes, whereas the hydrophobic nature of these molecules also deprives cytosolic localization. Consequently, TAG and SE are stored in specialized compartments known as lipid particles or lipid droplets. TAG synthases and SE synthases which catalyze the final steps in storage lipid formation occur redundantly. Hydrolytic enzymes, TAG lipases and SE hydrolases, initiate the breakdown of storage lipids and make sterols, diacylglycerols, and free fatty acids available for anabolic processes and energy production. In this paper we describe routes of non‐polar lipid metabolism, focus on molecular properties of enzymes involved and discuss regulatory aspects of the respective pathways. The value of the yeast as a eukaryotic model system is advocated.