Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids. 2017 Oct;1862(10 Pt B):1188-1196. doi: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2017.06.005. Epub 2017 Jun 13.
Lipid droplets (LDs) store lipids and hence serve as energy reservoir and as a source for building-blocks for the organelle membrane systems. LD biology therefore depends on tight communication with other organelles. The unique architecture of LDs, consisting of a neutral lipid core shielded by a phospholipid-monolayer, is however an obstacle to bulk-exchange of bilayer-bounded vesicles with other organelles. In recent years, it is emerging that contact sites, places where two organelles are positioned in close proximity allowing vesicle-independent communication, are an important way to integrate LDs into the organellar landscape. However, few LD contact sites have been studied in depth and our understanding of their structure, extent and function is only starting to emerge. Here, we highlight recent findings on the functions of LD contact sites and on the proteins involved in their formation and hypothesize about the unique characteristics of the contact sites formed by these intriguing organelles. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Recent Advances in Lipid Droplet Biology edited by Rosalind Coleman and Matthijs Hesselink.
脂滴 (LDs) 储存脂质，因此充当能量储备库，也是细胞器膜系统构建块的来源。因此，LD 生物学取决于与其他细胞器的紧密通讯。然而，LD 的独特结构由被磷脂单层屏蔽的中性脂质核心组成，这是与其他细胞器进行双层囊泡的批量交换的障碍。近年来，人们发现接触位点（两个细胞器紧密接近的位置，允许囊泡独立的通讯）是将 LD 整合到细胞器景观中的重要途径。然而，只有少数 LD 接触位点得到了深入研究，我们对它们的结构、范围和功能的理解才刚刚开始出现。在这里，我们强调了 LD 接触位点的功能以及参与其形成的蛋白质的最新发现，并对这些有趣的细胞器形成的接触位点的独特特征进行了假设。本文是由 Rosalind Coleman 和 Matthijs Hesselink 编辑的特刊“脂质滴生物学的最新进展”的一部分。
