Target of rapamycin (TOR) plays a critical role in triacylglycerol accumulation in microalgae

Plant Molecular Biology
Sousuke ImamuraKan Tanaka

Abstract

Most microalgae produce triacylglycerol (TAG) under stress conditions such as nitrogen depletion, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we focused on the role of target of rapamycin (TOR) in TAG accumulation. TOR is a serine/threonine protein kinase that is highly conserved and plays pivotal roles in nitrogen and other signaling pathways in eukaryotes. We previously constructed a rapamycin-susceptible Cyanidioschyzon merolae, a unicellular red alga, by expressing yeast FKBP12 protein to evaluate the results of TOR inhibition (Imamura et al. in Biochem Biophys Res Commun 439:264-269, 2013). By using this strain, we here report that rapamycin-induced TOR inhibition results in accumulation of cytoplasmic lipid droplets containing TAG. Transcripts for TAG synthesis-related genes, such as glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase and acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), were increased by rapamycin treatment. We also found that fatty acid synthase-dependent de novo fatty acid synthesis was required for the accumulation of lipid droplets. Induction of TAG and up-regulation of DGAT gene expression by rapamycin were similarly observed in the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. These ...Continue Reading

References

May 21, 2003·DNA Research : an International Journal for Rapid Publication of Reports on Genes and Genomes·Niji OhtaTsuneyoshi Kuroiwa
Aug 1, 1959·Canadian Journal of Biochemistry and Physiology·E G BLIGH, W J DYER
Apr 9, 2004·Nature·Motomichi MatsuzakiTsuneyoshi Kuroiwa
Feb 14, 2006·Cell·Stephan WullschlegerMichael N Hall
Mar 14, 2007·Biotechnology Advances·Yusuf Chisti
Jan 29, 2008·Trends in Biotechnology·Yusuf Chisti
Jun 10, 2008·Current Opinion in Biotechnology·G Charles DismukesMatthew C Posewitz
Jul 14, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Sousuke ImamuraKan Tanaka
Jan 29, 2010·Plant Physiology·María Esther Pérez-PérezJosé L Crespo
Apr 20, 2010·Current Opinion in Biotechnology·Stuart A ScottAlison G Smith
Apr 12, 2011·The Journal of General and Applied Microbiology·Satoru WatanabeKan Tanaka
Sep 20, 2011·Bioresource Technology·Asha ParmarDatta Madamwar
Dec 17, 2011·Genetics·Robbie Loewith, Michael N Hall
Jul 4, 2012·Journal of Biotechnology·Jit Ern Chen, Alison G Smith
Nov 24, 2012·The Plant Journal : for Cell and Molecular Biology·Camila CaldanaPatrick Giavalisco
Feb 13, 2013·EMBO Reports·Stéphane J H Ricoult, Brendan D Manning
Aug 27, 2013·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·Sousuke ImamuraKan Tanaka
Feb 26, 2014·Journal of Experimental Botany·Rossana HenriquesZoltán Magyar
Dec 17, 2014·Molecular and Cellular Biology·Juliana B MadeiraBruno L Bozaquel-Morais
Mar 31, 2015·Cell·Lynne ChantranupongDavid M Sabatini

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Feb 14, 2016·Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry·Shiho MukaidaMasanori Arita
Feb 9, 2016·Plant Signaling & Behavior·Sousuke ImamuraKan Tanaka
Feb 26, 2016·Annual Review of Plant Biology·Thomas DobrenelChristian Meyer
Mar 29, 2019·Frontiers in Microbiology·Linxuan LiMaozhi Ren
Oct 28, 2017·Biotechnology for Biofuels·Yongguang JiangJiangxin Wang
Jan 1, 2020·Biotechnology for Biofuels·Tomomi Takeuchi, Christoph Benning
Jul 15, 2017·Biomolecules·María Esther Pérez-PérezJosé L Crespo
May 2, 2018·Biotechnology for Biofuels·Seddik HarchouniBenoît Menand
Mar 3, 2020·Frontiers in Plant Science·Masataka Kajikawa, Hideya Fukuzawa
Feb 1, 2019·Progress in Lipid Research·Yonghua Li-BeissonJohn L Harwood
Jul 3, 2019·Biochimie·Laura PriorettiBrigitte Gontero
Apr 10, 2021·Plant & Cell Physiology·Shin-Ya Miyagishima, Kan Tanaka
Jun 9, 2021·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Hui Chen, Qiang Wang

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.