In eukaryotic cells, the membranes of different intracellular organelles have different lipid composition, and various biomembranes show an asymmetric distribution of lipid types across the membrane bilayer. Membrane lipid organization reflects a dynamic equilibrium of lipids moving across the bilayer in both directions. In this review, we summarize data supporting the role of specific membrane...

Like other intracellular fusion events, the homotypic fusion of yeast vacuoles requires a Rab GTPase, a large Rab effector complex, SNARE proteins which can form a 4-helical bundle, and the SNARE disassembly chaperones Sec17p and Sec18p. In addition to these proteins, specific vacuole lipids are required for efficient fusion in vivo and with the purified organelle. Reconstitution of vacuole fus...

Extraction of intracellular lipids the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica has been systematically studied aiming towards a sustainable extraction process for lipid recovery. Selection suitable industrial (bulk) solvents and parameters that lead to maximization recovery are significant issues be addressed, with applications motivating this study. Biomass from fermentation (MUCL 28849) was used...

Toxoplasma is an obligate intracellular parasite that replicates in mammalian cells within a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) that does not fuse with any host organelles. One mechanism developed by the parasite for nutrient acquisition is the attraction of host organelles to the PV. Here, we examined the exploitation of host lipid droplets (LD), ubiquitous fat storage organelles, by Toxoplasma. We ...

Tumor-secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) are the main mediators of cell-cell communication, permitting cells to exchange proteins, lipids, and metabolites in varying physiological pathological conditions. They contain signature tumor-derived molecules that reflect intracellular status their cell origin. Recent studies have shown tumor cell-derived EVs can aid cancer metastasis through modula...

Lipids comprise a wide variety of substances that share the common feature of being insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. Fatty acids are important building blocks of lipids and they give a diversity and chemical specificity to the complex lipids found in natural fats and oils, comparable to that given by the amino acids to proteins. Because of their special characteristics and si...

The biological intracellular vesicles, formed from the cell membrane or from different cell organelles, play a main role in the intracellular transport, transfer and exchange of molecules and information. Extracellular vesicles are also detected in organisms belonging to any of the three main branches of evolution, Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. There is an increasing consensus that these vesic...

The relation between serum lipids, membrane fluidity, insulin, and the activity of the sodium-hydrogen exchanger was investigated in human lymphocytes from 83 subjects. Subjects had a wide range of serum lipids and no concurrent disease. Lymphocyte membrane anisotropy (inversely related to membrane fluidity) was measured with a fluorescence polarization method. Sodium-hydrogen exchange maximal ...

Dengue virus causes ∼50-100 million infections per year and thus is considered one of the most aggressive arthropod-borne human pathogen worldwide. During its replication, dengue virus induces dramatic alterations in the intracellular membranes of infected cells. This phenomenon is observed both in human and vector-derived cells. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry of mosquito cells, we sho...

The relation between serum lipids, membrane fluidity, insulin, and the activity of the sodium-hydrogen exchanger was investigated in human lymphocytes from 83 subjects. Subjects had a wide range of serum lipids and no concurrent disease. Lymphocyte membrane anisotropy (inversely related to membrane fluidity) was measured with a fluorescence polarization method. Sodium-hydrogen exchange maximal ...