title: Recent advances in understanding proteins involved in lipid droplet formation, growth and fusion.
abstract: 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 transmembrane (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.
authors.affiliation: Signature Research Program in Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, Singapore 169857, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jolene S Y
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Signature Research Program in Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, Singapore 169857, Singapore.
authors.forename: Colin J P
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Seow
authors.affiliation: Signature Research Program in Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, Singapore 169857, Singapore.
authors.forename: Vera J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Signature Research Program in Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, Singapore 169857, Singapore. Electronic address: david.silver@duke-nus.edu.sg.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Silver
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D020755:Coat Protein Complex I / Q000378:metabolism; D044388:GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066292:Lipid Droplets / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C432679:BSCL2 protein, human; C472088:CIDEC protein, human; D020755:Coat Protein Complex I; C572548:FITM1 protein, human; C575964:FITM2 protein, human; D044388:GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D020543:Proteome; D011494:Protein Kinases
keywords: LD-associated proteins; Lipid droplets; Perilipin; Phospholipids