Diacylglycerol, when simplicity becomes complex

Diacylglycerol (DAG) has unique functions as a basic component of membranes, an intermediate in lipid metabolism and a key element in lipid-mediated signaling. In eukaryotes, for example, impaired DAG generation and/or consumption have severe effects on organ development and cell growth associated w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in biochemical sciences (Amsterdam. Regular ed.) 2007, Vol.32 (1), p.27-36
Main Authors: Carrasco, Silvia, Mérida, Isabel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Diglycerides - biosynthesis
Diglycerides - physiology
Lipid Metabolism - physiology
Membrane Lipids - physiology
Protein Structure, Tertiary
Second Messenger Systems - physiology
Signal Transduction - physiology
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Summary:Diacylglycerol (DAG) has unique functions as a basic component of membranes, an intermediate in lipid metabolism and a key element in lipid-mediated signaling. In eukaryotes, for example, impaired DAG generation and/or consumption have severe effects on organ development and cell growth associated with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, immune system disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Although DAG has been studied intensively as a signaling lipid, early models of its function are no longer adequate to explain its numerous roles. The interplay between enzymes that control DAG levels, the identification of families of DAG-regulated proteins, and the overlap among DAG metabolic and signaling processes are providing new interpretations of DAG function. Recent discoveries are also delineating the complex and strategic role of DAG in regulating biochemical networks.
ISSN:0968-0004
1362-4326
DOI:10.1016/j.tibs.2006.11.004