Biogenesis and Lipase-Mediated Mobilization of Lipid Droplets in Plants

Abstract

Cytosolic lipid droplets (LDs) derived from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) mainly contain neutral lipids, such as triacylglycerols (TAGs) and sterol esters, which are considered energy reserves. The metabolic pathways associated with LDs in eukaryotic species are involved in diverse cellular functions. TAG synthesis in plants is mediated by the sequential involvement of two subcellular organelles, i.e., plastids - plant-specific organelles, which serve as the site of lipid synthesis, and the ER. TAGs and sterol esters synthesized in the ER are sequestered to form LDs through the cooperative action of several proteins, such as SEIPINs, LD-associated proteins, LDAP-interacting proteins, and plant-specific proteins such as oleosins. The integrity and stability of LDs are highly dependent on oleosins, especially in the seeds, and oleosin degradation is critical for efficient mobilization of the TAGs of plant LDs. As the TAGs mobilize in LDs during germination and post-germinative growth, a plant-specific lipase—sugar-dependent 1 (SDP1)—plays a major role, through the inter-organellar communication between the ER and peroxisomes. In this review, we briefly recapitulate the different processes involved in the biogenesis and degradation of plant LDs, followed by a discussion of future perspectives in this field.