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Today, much of the biology underlying lipid compositions in cells is a black box for scientists. Although lipids are a major group of biomolecules, they are difficult to study because their synthesis is regulated by a complex metabolism.
Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), the Berkeley Lab, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation for Biosustainability at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Biosustain) have found a way to transform the fat membranes of cells. Researchers have increased the ability of cells to produce large amounts of fluid fats, called unsaturated fats. This increased the membrane respiration as well as the growth rate of the cell.
This knowledge could be an advantage when it is possible to manufacture biofuels, biochemicals or biopharmaceuticals from E. coli or baker's yeast. Therefore, this method could become very important in industries working with cell factories.
The research has now been published in Science.
The researchers showed how to manipulate the lipid composition of E. coli and baker's yeast. The next step is to show that the method also works for mammalian cells.
"Applications for future work are not industrial, but rather health-related. Several diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, lead to more rigid membranes and impaired mitochondrial function, "said JBEI's first author, Postdoc Itay Budin.
Mitochondria are the power plants of the cell. Cells whose mitochondrial function is impaired function slowly compared to normal cells. Making the cell membrane more fluid could normalize mitochondrial function.
"We are excited about this work – it shows that synthetic biology and metabolic engineering can be applied to obtain basic information on fundamental biological processes. This basic knowledge is very important for developing new treatments for diseases whose mechanisms we do not understand, "says co-author, professor at JBEI and scientific director of DTU Biosustain Jay Keasling.
Source:
Technical University of Denmark. .
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