Recent Advances in Understanding Proteins Involved in Lipid Droplet Formation, Growth and Fusion

• Published in: Journal of genetics and genomics 2014-05, Vol.41 (5), p.251-259
• Main Authors: Tan, Jolene S.Y., Seow, Colin J.P., Goh, Vera J., Silver, David L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Coat Protein Complex I - metabolism; GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits - metabolism; Humans; LD-associated proteins; Lipid droplets; Lipid Droplets - physiology; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Perilipin; Phospholipids; Protein Kinases - metabolism; Proteins - metabolism; Proteome - metabolism; 液滴; 特异性蛋白; 生长; 细胞器; 脂肪; 蛋白复合物; 蛋白质组; 调控蛋白
• ISSN: 1673-8527
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2014.03.003

Lipid droplets （LDs） were once viewed as simple, inert lipid micelles. However, they are now known to be organelles with a rich proteome involved in a myriad of cellular processes. LDs are heterogeneous in nature with different sizes and compositions of phospholipids, neutral lipids and proteins. This review takes a focused look at the roles of proteins involved in the regulation of LD formation, expansion, and morphology. The related proteins are summarized such as the fat-specific protein （Fsp27）, fat storage-inducing trans- membrane （FIT） proteins, seipin and ADP-ribosylation factor 1-coat protein complex I （Arf-COPI）. Finally, we present important challenges in LD biology for a deeper understanding of this dynamic organelle to be achieved.