Joseph L. Dixon

Tobacco as a production platform for biofuel: overexpression of Arabidopsis DGAT and LEC2 genes increases accumulation and shifts the composition of lipids in green biomass

When grown for energy production instead for smoking, tobacco can generate a large amount of inexpensive biomass more efficiently than almost any other agricultural crop. Tobacco possesses potent oil biosynthesis machinery and can accumulate up to 40% of seed weight in oil. In this work, we explored two metabolic engineering approaches to enhance the oil content in tobacco green tissues for potential biofuel production. First, an Arabidopsis thaliana gene diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) coding for a key enzyme in triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis, was expressed in tobacco under the control of a strong ribulose-biphosphate carboxylase small subunit promoter. This modification led to up to a 20-fold increase in TAG accumulation in tobacco leaves and translated into an overall of about a twofold increase in extracted fatty acids (FA) up to 5.8% of dry biomass in Nicotiana tabacum cv Wisconsin, and up to 6% in high-sugar tobacco variety NC-55. Modified tobacco plants also contained elevated amounts of phospholipids. This increase in lipids was accompanied by a shift in the FA composition favourable for their utilization as biodiesel. Second, we expressed in tobacco Arabidopsis gene LEAFY COTYLEDON 2 (LEC2), a master regulator of seed maturation and seed oil storage under the control of an inducible Alc promoter. Stimulation of LEC2 expression in mature tobacco plants by acetaldehyde led to the accumulation of up to 6.8% per dry weight of total extracted FA. The obtained data reveal the potential of metabolically modified plant biomass for the production of biofuel.

Enteroviruses harness the cellular endocytic machinery to remodel the host cell cholesterol landscape for effective viral replication.

Cholesterol is a critical component of cellular membranes, regulating assembly and function of membrane-based protein/lipid complexes. Many RNA viruses, including enteroviruses, remodel host membranes to generate organelles with unique lipid blueprints on which they assemble replication complexes and synthesize viral RNA. Here we find that clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is harnessed by enteroviruses to traffic cholesterol from the plasma membrane (PM) and extracellular medium to replication organelles, where cholesterol then regulates viral polyprotein processing and facilitates genome synthesis. When CME is disrupted, cellular cholesterol pools are instead stored in lipid droplets, cholesterol cannot be trafficked to replication organelles, and replication is inhibited. In contrast, replication is stimulated in cholesterol-elevated cells like those lacking caveolins or those from Niemann-Pick disease patients. Our findings indicate cholesterol as a critical determinant for enteroviral replication and outline roles for the endocytic machinery in both the enteroviral life cycle and host cell cholesterol homeostasis.

Over-Expression of Monoacylglycerol Lipase (MGL) in Small Intestine Alters Endocannabinoid Levels and Whole Body Energy Balance, Resulting in Obesity

The function of small intestinal monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL) is unknown. Its expression in this tissue is surprising because one of the primary functions of the small intestine is to convert diet-derived MGs to triacylglycerol (TG), and not to degrade them. To elucidate the function of intestinal MGL, we generated transgenic mice that over-express MGL specifically in small intestine (iMGL mice). After only 3 weeks of high fat feeding, iMGL mice showed an obese phenotype; body weight gain and body fat mass were markedly higher in iMGL mice, along with increased hepatic and plasma TG levels compared to wild type littermates. The iMGL mice were hyperphagic and displayed reduced energy expenditure despite unchanged lean body mass, suggesting that the increased adiposity was due to both increased caloric intake and systemic effects resulting in a hypometabolic rate. The presence of the transgene resulted in lower levels of most MG species in intestinal mucosa, including the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG). The results therefore suggest a role for intestinal MGL, and intestinal 2-AG and perhaps other MG species, in whole body energy balance via regulation of food intake as well as metabolic rate.

ABHD5/CGI-58 facilitates the assembly and secretion of apolipoprotein B lipoproteins by McA RH7777 rat hepatoma cells

Lipolysis of stored triacylglycerols provides lipid precursors for the assembly of apolipoprotein B (apoB) lipoproteins in hepatocytes. Abhydrolase domain containing 5 (ABHD5) is expressed in liver and facilitates the lipolysis of triacylglycerols. To study the function of ABHD5 in lipoprotein secretion, we silenced the expression of ABHD5 in McA RH7777 cells using RNA interference and studied the metabolism of lipids and secretion of apoB lipoproteins. McA RH7777 cells deficient in ABHD5 secreted reduced amounts of apoB, triacylglycerols, and cholesterol esters. Detailed analysis of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry data for the molecular species of secreted triacylglycerols revealed that deficiency of ABHD5 significantly reduced secretion of triacylglycerols containing oleate, even when oleate was supplied in the culture medium; the ABHD5-deficient cells partially compensated by secreting higher levels of triacylglycerols containing saturated fatty acids. In experiments tracking the metabolism of [(14)C]oleate, silencing of ABHD5 reduced lipolysis of cellular triacylglycerols and incorporation of intermediates derived from stored lipids into secreted triacylglycerols and cholesterol esters. In contrast, the incorporation of exogenous oleate into secreted triacylglycerols and cholesterol esters was unaffected by deficiency of ABHD5. These findings suggest that ABHD5 facilitates the use of lipid intermediates derived from lipolysis of stored triacylglycerols for the assembly of lipoproteins.

Dynamics of Lipid Biosynthesis and Redistribution in the Marine Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum Under Nitrate Deprivation

One approach to achieve continuous overproduction of lipids in microalgal “cell factories” relies upon depletion or removal of nutrients that act as competing electron sinks (e.g., nitrate and sulfate). However, this strategy can only be effective for bioenergy applications if lipid is synthesized primarily de novo (from CO2 fixation) rather than from the breakdown and interconversion of essential cellular components. In the marine diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, it was determined, using 13C-bicarbonate, that cell growth in nitrate (NO3−)-deprived cultures resulted predominantly in de novo lipid synthesis (60xa0% over 3xa0days), and this new lipid consisted primarily of triacylglycerides (TAGs). Nearly complete preservation of 12C occurred in all previously existing TAGs in NO3−-deprived cultures and thus, further TAG accumulation would not be expected from inhibition of TAG lipolysis. In contrast, both high turnover and depletion of membrane lipids, phosphatidylcholines (PCs), were observed in NO3−-deprived cultures (both the headgroups and fatty acid chains), while less turnover was observed in NO3− replete cultures. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry mass spectra and 13C labeling patterns of PC headgroups provided insight into lipid synthesis in marine diatoms, including suggestion of an internal pool of glycine betaine that feeds choline synthesis. It was also observed that 16C fatty acid chains incorporated into TAGs and PCs contained an average of 14 13C carbons, indicating substantial incorporation of 13C-bicarbonate into fatty acid chains under both nutrient states.

GCN2 is required to increase fibroblast growth factor 21 and maintain hepatic triglyceride homeostasis during asparaginase treatment.

The antileukemic agent asparaginase triggers the amino acid response (AAR) in the liver by activating the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2) kinase general control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2). To explore the mechanism by which AAR induction is necessary to mitigate hepatic lipid accumulation and prevent liver dysfunction during continued asparaginase treatment, wild-type and Gcn2 null mice were injected once daily with asparaginase or phosphate buffered saline for up to 14 days. Asparaginase induced mRNA expression of multiple AAR genes and greatly increased circulating concentrations of the metabolic hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) independent of food intake. Loss of Gcn2 precluded mRNA expression and circulating levels of FGF21 and blocked mRNA expression of multiple genes regulating lipid synthesis and metabolism including Fas, Ppara, Pparg, Acadm, and Scd1 in both liver and white adipose tissue. Furthermore, rates of triglyceride export and protein expression of apolipoproteinB-100 were significantly reduced in the livers of Gcn2 null mice treated with asparaginase, providing a mechanistic basis for the increase in hepatic lipid content. Loss of AAR-regulated antioxidant defenses in Gcn2 null livers was signified by reduced Gpx1 gene expression alongside increased lipid peroxidation. Substantial reductions in antithrombin III hepatic expression and activity in the blood of asparaginase-treated Gcn2 null mice indicated liver dysfunction. These results suggest that the ability of the liver to adapt to prolonged asparaginase treatment is influenced by GCN2-directed regulation of FGF21 and oxidative defenses, which, when lost, corresponds with maladaptive effects on lipid metabolism and hemostasis.

Diabetic dyslipidemia and exercise alter the plasma low-density lipoproteome in Yucatan pigs

Although low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) plays a predominant role in atherogenesis, the low‐density lipoproteome has not been fully characterized. Moreover, alterations from a Western diet, diabetes, and physical inactivity on this proteome have yet to be determined. Accordingly, relative quantification was determined in LDL proteins from male Yucatan diabetic dyslipidemic (DD) swine in the early stages of atherosclerosis compared to healthy control (C) and non‐diabetic hyperlipidemic (H) swine. Importantly, coronary vascular dysfunction was prevented by aerobic exercise training in these animals (DDX) without altering total LDL concentration. Using 2‐DE, Western blot, label‐free quantitative MS, and selected reaction monitoring, alterations in the abundance of apolipoproteins A‐I, B, C‐III, D, E, and J and noncovalently associated proteins were determined in LDL isolated using fast protein liquid chromatography. At least 28 unique proteins, many of which were novel, were identified with high confidence. An apolipoprotein E isoform demonstrated stronger correlation to disease (percent of coronary artery segments with intimal thickening) than some traditional risk factors (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and LDL/HDL cholesterol). Taken together, this work identifies new possible biomarkers, potential therapeutic targets for atherosclerosis, and generates new hypotheses regarding the role of LDL in atherogenesis.

Loss of β-carotene 15,15'-oxygenase in developing mouse tissues alters esterification of retinol, cholesterol and diacylglycerols.

We provide novel insights into the function(s) of β-carotene-15,15-oxygenase (CMOI) during embryogenesis. By performing in vivo and in vitro experiments, we showed that CMOI influences not only lecithin:retinol acyltransferase but also acyl CoA:retinol acyltransferase reaction in the developing tissues at mid-gestation. In addition, LC/MS lipidomics analysis of the CMOI-/- embryos showed reduced levels of four phosphatidylcholine and three phosphatidylethanolamine acyl chain species, and of eight triacylglycerol species with four or more unsaturations and fifty-two or more carbons in the acyl chains. Cholesteryl esters of arachidonate, palmitate, linoleate, and DHA were also reduced to less than 30% of control. Analysis of the fatty acyl CoA species ruled out a loss in fatty acyl CoA synthetase capability. Comparison of acyl species suggested significantly decreased 18:2, 18:3, 20:1, 20:4, or 22:6 acyl chains within the above lipids in CMOI-null embryos. Furthermore, LCAT, ACAT1 and DGAT2 mRNA levels were also downregulated in CMOI-/- embryos. These data strongly support the notion that, in addition to cleaving β-carotene to generate retinoids, CMOI serves an additional function(s) in retinoid and lipid metabolism and point to its role in the formation of specific lipids, possibly for use in nervous system tissue.