Micro-managing cholesterol homeostasis
Intracellular cholesterol levels are tightly regulated by balancing cholesterol synthesis, uptake and efflux. The Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Proteins (SREBPs) are key players in this process (1). In particular, SREBP-2 is induced by cholesterol depletion. A decrease in intracellular cholesterol triggers increased maturation of the SREBP-2 precursor protein, allowing it to translocate to the nucleus and activate transcription.
Reviewed by: Sudha B. Biddinger, Children's Hospital of Boston
Posted on: Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Shape-shifting by fatty acids
Fatty acid structures are known to change the shape and physical properties of biological membranes. A recent paper in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology1 demonstrates how fatty acid structure can change the shape and physical properties of a transcription factor to regulate gene expression.
Reviewed by: Suzy Jackowski. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Posted on: 20 August 2010
A “Saturated Fat” Critical for Human Health
N-linked glycosylation of proteins is critical in all eukaryotes and requires the isoprene-derived lipid, dolichol. The proposed last step in the synthesis of dolichol - the reduction of the terminal double bond of polyprenol to form dolichol - had until now remained a mystery.
Reviewed by: David A. Six, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research
Posted on: 02 August 2010
Hyperactive Cholesterol Breaks Free to Signal Enough is Enough
Sometimes cholesterol is happy just to hang with its phospholipid partners and mellow them out. But when levels of membrane cholesterol start to rise, lipid crowding creates a cadre of cholesterol with activist tendencies.
Reviewed by: Binks Wattenberg, University of Louisville
Posted on: 15 July 2010