Natural selective pressure throughout evolution of the Eukarya has generated a staggering array of control mechanisms that maintain energy homeostasis, such as allosteric regulation of glycolysis, nutritional control of gene expression, and the nutritional control of triglyceride hydrolysis and oxidation. The latter process of triglyceride hydrolysis and oxidation provides a major source of energy for most eukaryotes, and, as such, triglycerides are deposited in a phylogenetically conserved, ubiquitous organelle called the lipid droplet. The lipid droplet plays an important role in storage of cellular triglycerides and has the capacity to expand and contract dependent on caloric intake and energy demand.

ASBMB Today contributor Karen Muindi writes about a recently published “Reflections” article by Reed B. Wickner in The Journal of Biological Chemistry.

In a recently published “Reflections” article in The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Stanford University’s Lubert Stryer talks about his life experiences and praises his students, postdoctoral fellows and collaborators who have helped him in a successful career.

In a recent “Paper of the Week” in The Journal of Biological Chemistry, a research team demonstrated that caldesmon, an actin-binding protein, increased the Arp2/3-mediated branching activity at newly formed actin filaments.

The October edition of the Journal of Lipid Research features a tribute to the late lipidologist Sven-Olof Olofsson.

In a recently published article in the journal Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, Danish researchers take a closer look at mesenchymal stem cells, which help form osteoblasts, contributing to bone formation.

A new JBC thematic minireview series sheds light on recent findings as part of the National Human Genome Research Institute’s Encyclopedia of DNA Elements.

A recently published Minireview in The Journal of Biological Chemistry illustrates the importance of serine metabolism as researchers learn more about its involvement in a variety of processes in the cell.