Structure and function of glycoglycerolipids in plants and bacteria

Chromosome-level genomes of two Bracteacoccaceae highlight adaptations to biocrusts

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) cover the majority of the world's dryland ground and are a significant component of the vegetation-free surface of the planet. They consist of an intimate association of microbial organisms, lichens, bryophytes and fungi. Biocrusts are severely endangered by anthropogenic disturbances despite their importance. The genus Bracteacoccus (Sphaeropleales, Chlorophyta) is a ubiquitous component of biocrusts from extreme environments. Here, we present the chromosome-level genome sequences of two Bracteacoccus species, B. bullatus and B. minor. Genome comparisons with other Archaeplastida identify genomic features that highlight the adaptation of these algae to abiotic stresses prevailing in such environments. These features include horizontal gene transfer events mainly from bacteria or fungi, gains and expansions of stress-related gene families, neofunctionalization of genes following gene duplications and genome structural variations. We also summarize transcriptional and metabolic responses of the lipid pathway of B. minor, based on multi-omics analyses, which is important for balancing the flexible conversion of polar membrane lipids and non-polar storage lipids to cope with various abiotic stresses. Under dehydration and high-temperature stress conditions B. minor differs considerably from other eukaryotic algae. Overall, these findings provide insights into the genetic basis of adaptation to abiotic stress in biocrust algae.

Characterisation of the phytochemical and bioactivity profiles of raw tea, stale-aroma, and betelnut-aroma type of Liupao tea through GC/LC-MS-based metabolomics

Liupao tea (LPT) is a Chinese dark tea known to possess a unique flavour. Microbial fermentation plays a crucial role in flavour development and enrichment. Currently, the phytochemical profiles and bioactivities of LPT with and without fermentation are not fully known. In this study, we compared the chemical composition of raw tea (SF), stale-aroma (SA), and betelnut-aroma (BA) type LPT through the application of GC/LC-MS-based metabolomics, and experimentally investigated their bioactivities via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic assays in vitro. The results indicated that fermentation enhanced the flavour of LPT as evidenced by the sweetness-producing substances, decreased bitterness and astringency-related compounds and enriched abundance of aroma-generating compounds. Two and four volatiles were detected to be major contributors to the aroma in SA and BA, respectively. Fatty acids and phosphatidylcholines were the primary lipids, among which the lysing diacylglycerol trimethyl homoserines were found to be a new class of lipids in LPT. Notably, the fermentation resulted in the degradation of compounds, particularly glycerophospholipids and saccharolipids. SF had the highest level of bioactivity, followed by BA and SA. These findings expand the present understanding regarding the development of flavour, nutrition, and medicinal value of LPT. Moreover, they provide a theoretical basis for the identification of BA and SA and serve as a reference value for consumers in their selection of LPT products.

Phosphate-Containing Glycolipids: A Review on Synthesis and Bioactivity

Phosphate-containing glycolipids (PcGL) are scarcer than the better understood glycolipids. They are composed of arrangements of phosphate, carbohydrates and glycerol units and are always found associated with lipids. PcGL are often found associated with cell membranes, suggesting they play roles in cell membrane structure and intercellular interactions. This article aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the existing knowledge and research on PcGL, emphasizing their synthesis and wide range of biological activities. When it comes to the synthesis of PcGL compounds, the strategies for glycosylation mainly rely on the thioglycoside donor, the trichloroacetamidate donor and halide donor strategies, while phosphorylation is stapled and falls on either phosphite chemistry or phosphoryl chloride chemistry. Certain bacteria utilize PcGLs in their pathogenicity, triggering an inflammatory response within the host's defense mechanisms. The best-known examples of these structures are teichoic acids, lipopolysaccharide and the capsular polysaccharide found in bacteria, all of which are frequently implicated in bacterial infections. Given the degree of variability within PcGL structures, they were found to display a wide range of bioactivities. PcGL compounds were found to: (1) have anti-metastatic properties, (2) behave as agonists or antagonists of platelet aggregation, (3) be mostly pro-inflammatory, (4) display antifungal and antibiotic activity and (5) have neurogenic activity.

New insights into the role of lipids in aroma formation during black tea processing revealed by integrated lipidomics and volatolomics

Lipids are important tea aroma precursors. Due to the complexity of black tea processing involving both enzymatic and thermal reactions, the role of lipids in black tea aroma formation remained unclear. Herein, the dynamic changes of lipids and volatiles during black tea processing were simultaneously analyzed by lipidomics and volatolomics using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Exactive) and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The lipidomics method was validated in linearity, reproducibility, and recovery, which showed a high reliability. A total of 374 lipids and 88 volatiles were detected. Among them, 362 lipids and 29 fatty acid-derived volatiles (FADVs) were significantly altered depending on different processing stages. During the enzyme-driven stages of black tea processing (withering, rolling and fermentation), monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were largely downregulated (<0.33 folds). Instead, in the non-enzymatic drying steps of black tea processing, triacylglycerol (TG), diacylglycerol (DG), and phosphatidic acid (PA) were mainly degraded (<0.24 folds). MS/MS fragmentation revealed that these most prominently degraded lipids were structurally enriched with fatty acyl (FA) 18:2 and 18:3 residues, such as MGDG (18:2/18:3), PC (18:2/18:2), PE (18:1/18:2), TG (18:3/18:3/18:3), DG (18:3/18:3), PA (18:3/18:3). Correlation analysis showed significant negative correlation between these lipids and FADVs such as aliphatic aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and esters, etc. These most prominently degraded lipids were highlighted as the key potential aroma precursors during black tea processing, which were possibly oxidized and degraded into volatiles through enzyme- and thermal-driven pathways at different processing stages.

An Overview of Multifaceted Applications and the Future Prospects of Glyceroglycolipids in Plants

Glyceroglycolipids (GGLs) are a class of lipid molecules that contain a glycerol backbone and one or more carbohydrate moieties, giving them amphipathic properties with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. This amphipathic nature is fundamental for composing cell membrane lipid bilayers. These compounds are primarily distributed on the inner chloroplast membranes of plants and exhibit a unique structure with numerous biological activities. Moreover, GGLs play a pivotal role in photosynthesis and energy conversion in plants and effectively respond to environmental stressors. This Review discusses the distribution, synthesis pathways, and functions of GGLs in plants and describes the recent updates on various methods for extracting, isolating, and identifying GGLs. Finally, this Review discusses the biological activities of plant GGLs, including their anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancer properties, and highlights their potential applications in the fields of pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. This Review provides insights into GGLs, offering research support for the application of these natural molecules in the realm of holistic health.

Lipid remodelling and the conversion of lipids into sugars associated with tolerance to cadmium toxicity during white clover seed germination

Cadmium (Cd) is a leading environmental issue worldwide. The current study was conducted to investigate Cd tolerance of 10 commercial white clover (Trifolium repens) cultivars during seed germination and to further explore differences in lipid remodelling, glycometabolism, and the conversion of lipids into sugars contributing to Cd tolerance in the early phase of seedling establishment as well as the accumulation of Cd in seedlings and mature plants. The results show that Cd stress significantly reduced seed germination of 10 cultivars. Compared to Cd-sensitive Sulky, Cd-tolerant Pixie accelerated amylolysis to produce more glucose, fructose, and sucrose by maintaining higher amylase and sucrase activities under Cd stress. Pixie maintained higher contents of various lipids, higher DGDG/MGDG ratio, and lower unsaturation levels of lipids, which could be beneficial to membrane stability and integrity as well as signal transduction in cells after being subjected to Cd stress. In addition, Pixie upregulated expression levels of key genes (TrACX1, TrACX4, TrSDP6, and TrPCK1) involved in the conversion of lipids into sugars for early seedling establishment under Cd stress. These findings indicate that lipid remodelling, enhanced glycometabolism, and accelerated conversion of lipids into sugars are important adaptive strategies for white clover seed germination and subsequent seedling establishment under Cd stress. In addition, Pixie not only accumulated more Cd in seedlings and mature plants than Sulky but also had significantly better growth and phytoremediation efficiency under Cd stress. Pixie could be used as a suitable and critical germplasm for the rehabilitation and re-establishment of Cd-contaminated areas.

Purple acid phosphatase promoted hydrolysis of organophosphate pesticides in microalgae

When organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are not used and handled in accordance with the current rules and standards, it results in serious threats to the aquatic environment and human health. Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a prospective microalgae-based system for pollutant removal and carbon sequestration. Genetically engineered P. tricornutum, designated as the OE line (endogenously expressing purple acid phosphatase 1 [PAP1]), can utilize organic phosphorus for cellular metabolism. However, the competencies and mechanisms of the microalgae-based system (namely the OE line of P. tricornutum) for metabolizing OPs remain to be addressed. In this study, the OE line exhibited the effective biodegradation competencies of 72.12% and 68.2% for 30 mg L-1 of dichlorvos and 50 mg L-1 of glyphosate, accompanied by synergistic accumulations of biomass (0.91 and 0.95 g L-1) and lipids (32.71% and 32.08%), respectively. Furthermore, the biodiesel properties of the lipids from the OE line manifested a high potential as an alternative feedstock for microalgae-based biofuel production. A plausible mechanism of OPs biodegraded by overexpressed PAP1 is that sufficient inorganic P for adenosine triphosphate and concurrent carbon flux for the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate biosynthesis, which improved the OP tolerance and biodegradation competencies by regulating the antioxidant system, delaying programmed cell death and accumulating lipids via the upregulation of related genes. To sum up, this study demonstrates a potential strategy using a genetically engineered strain of P. tricornutum to remove high concentrations of OPs with the simultaneous production of biomass and biofuels, which might provide novel insights for microalgae-based pollutant biodegradation.

Role of ERA protein in enhancing glyceroglycolipid synthesis and phosphate starvation tolerance in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942

Glyceroglycolipids are the primary thylakoid membrane lipids in cyanobacteria. Their diverse bioactivities have led to extensive utilization in the biomedical industry. In this study, we elucidated the role of ERA (E. coli Ras-like protein) in augmenting glyceroglycolipid synthesis and bolstering stress resilience in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 during phosphate starvation. Notably, the ERA overexpression strain (ERA OE) outperformed the wild-type (WT) strain under phosphate-starved conditions, displaying an average 13.9 % increase in biomass over WT during the entire growth period, peaking at 0.185 g L-1 of dry cell weight on day 6. Lipidomic analysis using UHPLC-MS/MS techniques revealed that ERA OE exhibited a higher total glyceroglycolipid content compared to WT under phosphate starvation, representing a 7.95 % increase over WT and constituting a maximum of 5.07 % of dry cell weight on day 6. Transcriptomic analysis identified a significant up-regulation of the gldA gene (encoding glycerol dehydrogenase) involved in glycerolipid metabolism due to overexpression of ERA during phosphate starvation. These findings suggest a potential mechanism by which ERA regulates glyceroglycolipid synthesis through the up-regulation of GldA, thereby enhancing phosphate starvation tolerance in S. elongatus PCC 7942. Furthermore, lipidomic analysis revealed that ERA facilitated the production of glyceroglycolipid molecules containing C16:1 and C18:1 fatty acids. Additionally, ERA redirected lipid flux and promoted glyceroglycolipid accumulation while attenuating triacylglycerol production under phosphate starvation. This study represents the first demonstration of pivotal role of ERA in enhancing glyceroglycolipid synthesis and phosphate starvation tolerance in cyanobacteria, offering new insights into the effective utilization of glyceroglycolipids in various applications.

Wound-response jasmonate dynamics in the primary vasculature

The links between wound-response electrical signalling and the activation of jasmonate synthesis are unknown. We investigated damage-response remodelling of jasmonate precursor pools in the Arabidopsis thaliana leaf vasculature. Galactolipids and jasmonate precursors in primary veins from undamaged and wounded plants were analysed using MS-based metabolomics and NMR. In parallel, DAD1-LIKE LIPASEs (DALLs), which control the levels of jasmonate precursors in veins, were identified. A novel galactolipid containing the jasmonate precursor 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) was identified in veins: sn-2-O-(cis-12-oxo-phytodienoyl)-sn-3-O-(β-galactopyranosyl) glyceride (sn-2-OPDA-MGMG). Lower levels of sn-1-OPDA-MGMG were also detected. Vascular OPDA-MGMGs, sn-2-18:3-MGMG and free OPDA pools were reduced rapidly in response to damage-activated electrical signals. Reduced function dall2 mutants failed to build resting vascular sn-2-OPDA-MGMG and OPDA pools and, upon wounding, dall2 produced less jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile) than the wild-type. DALL3 acted to suppress excess JA-Ile production after wounding, whereas dall2 dall3 double mutants strongly reduce jasmonate signalling in leaves distal to wounds. LOX6 and DALL2 function to produce OPDA and the non-bilayer-forming lipid sn-2-OPDA-MGMG in the primary vasculature. Membrane depolarizations trigger rapid depletion of these molecules. We suggest that electrical signal-dependent lipid phase changes help to initiate vascular jasmonate synthesis in wounded leaves.

Membrane lipid composition of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum CNCM I-3298, a highly cryoresistant lactic bacterium

The growing consumption of fermented products has led to an increasing demand for lactic acid bacteria (LAB), especially for LAB tolerant to freezing/thawing conditions. Carnobacterium maltaromaticum is a psychrotrophic and freeze-thawing resistant lactic acid bacterium. The membrane is the primary site of damage during the cryo-preservation process and requires modulation to improve cryoresistance. However, knowledge about the membrane structure of this LAB genus is limited. We presented here the first study of the membrane lipid composition of C. maltaromaticum CNCM I-3298 including the polar heads and the fatty acid compositions of each lipid family (neutral lipids, glycolipids, phospholipids). The strain CNCM I-3298 is principally composed of glycolipids (32%) and phospholipids (55%). About 95% of glycolipids are dihexaosyldiglycerides while less than 5% are monohexaosyldiglycerides. The disaccharide chain of dihexaosyldiglycerides is composed of α-Gal(1-2)-α-Glc chain, evidenced for the first time in a LAB strain other than Lactobacillus strains. Phosphatidylglycerol is the main phospholipid (94%). All polar lipids are exceptionally rich in C18:1 (from 70% to 80%). Regarding the fatty acid composition, C. maltaromaticum CNCM I-3298 is an atypical bacterium within the genus Carnobacterium due to its high C18:1 proportion but resemble the other Carnobacterium strains as they mostly do not contain cyclic fatty acids.

Lipidome of the Brown Macroalga Undaria pinnatifida: Influence of Season and Endophytic Infection

An analysis of the lipidome of the brown alga Undaria pinnatifida (Laminariales) was performed' more than 900 molecular species were identified in 12 polar lipids and 1 neutral lipid using HPLC/MS-MS. The seasonal changes of U. pinnatifida lipidome were determined. It was shown that acclimatization to winter and spring was accompanied by an increase in the unsaturation of both polar and neutral lipids. In autumn and summer, on the contrary, the contents of more saturated molecular species of all lipid classes increased. Based on the data obtained, a scheme for the polar and neutral lipid synthesis in brown algae was proposed. In addition, the influence of infection with the brown filamentous endophyte Laminariocolax aecidioides (Ectocarpales) on U. pinnatifida lipidome was studied. It was found that infection has the most noticeable effect on the molecular species composition of triacylglycerides, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylhydroxyethylglycine of the host macrophyte. In infected samples of algae, changes in the composition of triacylglycerides were revealed both in areas with the presence of an endophyte and in adjacent intact tissues, which may indicate the occurrence of a secondary infection.

Regulation mechanism of lipids for extracellular yellow pigments production by Monascus purpureus BWY-5

The biosynthesis and secretion of Monascus pigments are closely related to the integrity of the cell membrane, which determines the composition of lipids and its content in cell membrane. The present study aimed to thoroughly describe the changes of lipid profiling in Monascus purpureus BWY-5, which was screened by carbon ion beam irradiation (¹²C⁶⁺) to almost single yield extracellular Monascus yellow pigments (extra-MYPs), by absolute quantitative lipidomics and tandem mass tags (TMT) based quantitative proteomic. ¹²C⁶⁺ irradiation caused non-lipid oxidation damage to Monascus cell membrane, leading to an imbalance in cell membrane lipid homeostasis. This imbalance was attributed to significant changes not only in the composition but also in the content of lipids in Monascus, especially the inhibition of glycerophospholipid biosynthesis. Integrity of plasma membrane was maintained by the increased production of ergosterol, monogalactosylmonoacylglycerol (MGMG) and sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerol (SQMG), while mitochondrial membrane homeostasis was maintained by the increase of cardiolipin production. The growth and extra-MYPs production of Monascus BWY-5 have been regulated by the promotion of sphingolipids (ceramide and sulfatide) biosynthesis. Simultaneous, energy homeostasis may be achieved by increase of TG synthesis and Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺-ATPase activity. These finding suggest ergosterol, cardiolipin, sphingolipids, MGMG and SQMG play a key facilitating role in cytomembrane lipid homeostasis maintaining for Monascus purpureus BWY-5, and then it is closely related to cell growth and extra-MYPs production. KEY POINTS: 1. Energy homeostasis in Monascus purpureus BWY-5 was achieved by increase of TG synthesis and Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺-ATPase activity. 2. Integrity of plasma membrane in Monascus purpureus BWY-5 was maintained by the increased production of ergosterol. 3. Mitochondrial membrane homeostasis in Monascus purpureus BWY-5 was maintaed by the increase of cardiolipin synthesis.

An Overview of Lipid Biomarkers in Terrestrial Extreme Environments with Relevance for Mars Exploration

Lipid molecules are organic compounds, insoluble in water, and based on carbon-carbon chains that form an integral part of biological cell membranes. As such, lipids are ubiquitous in life on Earth, which is why they are considered useful biomarkers for life detection in terrestrial environments. These molecules display effective membrane-forming properties even under geochemically hostile conditions that challenge most of microbial life, which grants lipids a universal biomarker character suitable for life detection beyond Earth, where a putative biological membrane would also be required. What discriminates lipids from nucleic acids or proteins is their capacity to retain diagnostic information about their biological source in their recalcitrant hydrocarbon skeletons for thousands of millions of years, which is indispensable in the field of astrobiology given the time span that the geological ages of planetary bodies encompass. This work gathers studies that have employed lipid biomarker approaches for paleoenvironmental surveys and life detection purposes in terrestrial environments with extreme conditions: hydrothermal, hyperarid, hypersaline, and highly acidic, among others; all of which are analogous to current or past conditions on Mars. Although some of the compounds discussed in this review may be abiotically synthesized, we focus on those with a biological origin, namely lipid biomarkers. Therefore, along with appropriate complementary techniques such as bulk and compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis, this work recapitulates and reevaluates the potential of lipid biomarkers as an additional, powerful tool to interrogate whether there is life on Mars, or if there ever was.

The Cell Wall, Cell Membrane and Virulence Factors of Staphylococcus aureus and Their Role in Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria are a serious threat to human health. With increasing antibiotic resistance in common human pathogens, fewer antibiotics remain effective against infectious diseases. Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogenic bacterium of particular concern to human health as it has developed resistance to many of the currently used antibiotics leaving very few remaining as effective treatment. Alternatives to conventional antibiotics are needed for treating resistant bacterial infections. A deeper understanding of the cellular characteristics of resistant bacteria beyond well characterized resistance mechanisms can allow for increased ability to properly treat them and to potentially identify targetable changes. This review looks at antibiotic resistance in S aureus in relation to its cellular components, the cell wall, cell membrane and virulence factors. Methicillin resistant S aureus bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics and some strains have even developed resistance to the last resort antibiotics vancomycin and daptomycin. Modifications in cell wall peptidoglycan and teichoic acids are noted in antibiotic resistant bacteria. Alterations in cell membrane lipids affect susceptibility to antibiotics through surface charge, permeability, fluidity, and stability of the bacterial membrane. Virulence factors such as adhesins, toxins and immunomodulators serve versatile pathogenic functions in S aureus. New antimicrobial strategies can target cell membrane lipids and virulence factors including anti-virulence treatment as an adjuvant to traditional antibiotic therapy.

A biochemical and lipidomic approach to perceive Halimione portulacoides (L.) response to mercury: An environmental perspective

The impact of hazardous materials, such as Hg, on life is far from being understood and due to the high number of polluted sites it has generated great concern. A biochemical and lipidomic approach was used to assess the effects of Hg on the saltmarsh halophyte Halimione portulacoides. Plants were collected at two sites of a Hg contaminated saltmarsh. Hg accumulation and distribution in the plant, biochemical parameters (antioxidant and metabolic) and lipid profiles were determined and compared between plant organs and sites (s1 and s2). Hg did not induce antioxidant enzyme activity. Lipid profiles changed under Hg exposure, especially in leaves, decreasing the unsaturation level, the membrane fluidity and stability, and evidencing that membrane lipid remodeling influences plant tolerance to Hg. This knowledge can help select the most appropriate methodologies for the restoration of Hg polluted hotspots, curtailing a serious environmental problem threatening saltmarshes.

Potential therapeutic targets for combating Mycoplasma genitalium

Mycoplasma genitalium (M. genitalium) has emerged as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) all over the world in the last three decades. It has been identified as a cause of male urethritis, and there is now evidence that it also causes cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease in women. However, the precise role of M. genitalium in diseases such as pelvic inflammatory disease, and infertility is unknown, and more research is required. It is a slow-growing organism, and with the advent of the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), more studies are being conducted and knowledge about the pathogenicity of this organism is being elucidated. The accumulation of data has improved our understanding of the pathogen and its role in disease transmission. Despite the widespread use of single-dose azithromycin in the sexual health field, M. genitalium is known to rapidly develop antibiotic resistance. As a result, the media frequently refer to this pathogen as the "new STI superbug." Despite their rarity, antibiotics available today have serious side effects. As the cure rates for first-line antimicrobials have decreased, it is now a challenge to determine the effective antimicrobial therapy. In this review, we summarise recent M. genitalium research and investigate potential therapeutic targets for combating this pathogen.

Environmental micro-niche filtering shapes bacterial pioneer communities during primary colonization of a Himalayas' glacier forefield

The pedogenesis from the mineral substrate released upon glacier melting has been explained with the succession of consortia of pioneer microorganisms, whose structure and functionality are determined by the environmental conditions developing in the moraine. However, the microbiome variability that can be expected in the environmentally heterogeneous niches occurring in a moraine at a given successional stage is poorly investigated. In a 50 m² area in the forefield of the Lobuche glacier (Himalayas, 5050 m above sea level), we studied six sites of primary colonization presenting different topographical features (orientation, elevation and slope) and harbouring greyish/dark biological soil crusts (BSCs). The spatial vicinity of the sites opposed to their topographical differences, allowed us to examine the effect of environmental conditions independently from the time of deglaciation. The bacterial microbiome diversity and their co-occurrence network, the bacterial metabolisms predicted from 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, and the microbiome intact polar lipids were investigated in the BSCs and the underlying sediment deep layers (DLs). Different bacterial microbiomes inhabited the BSCs and the DLs, and their composition varied among sites, indicating a niche-specific role of the micro-environmental conditions in the bacterial communities' assembly. In the heterogeneous sediments of glacier moraines, physico-chemical and micro-climatic variations at the site-spatial scale are crucial in shaping the microbiome microvariability and structuring the pioneer bacterial communities during pedogenesis.

Glyceroglycolipids in marine algae: A review of their pharmacological activity

Glyceroglycolipids are major metabolites of marine algae and have a wide range of applications in medicine, cosmetics, and chemistry research fields. They are located on the cell surface membranes. Together with glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans, known as the glycocalyx, they play critical roles in multiple cellular functions and signal transduction and have several biological properties such as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, anti-viral activity, and anti-tumor immunity. This article focused on the sources and pharmacological effects of glyceroglycolipids, which are naturally present in various marine algae, including planktonic algae and benthic algae, with the aim to highlight the promising potential of glyceroglycolipids in clinical treatment.

The Glycine-Glucolipid of Alcanivorax borkumensis Is Resident to the Bacterial Cell Wall

The marine bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis produces a surface-active glycine-glucolipid during growth with long-chain alkanes. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for absolute quantification. This method is based on the conversion of the glycine-glucolipid to phenacyl esters with subsequent measurement by HPLC with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Different molecular species were separated by HPLC and identified as glucosyl-tetra(3-hydroxy-acyl)-glycine with varying numbers of 3-hydroxy-decanoic acid or 3-hydroxy-octanoic acid groups via mass spectrometry. The growth rate of A. borkumensis cells with pyruvate as the sole carbon source was elevated compared to hexadecane as recorded by the increase in cell density as well as oxygen/carbon dioxide transfer rates. The amount of the glycine-glucolipid produced per cell during growth on hexadecane was higher compared with growth on pyruvate. The glycine-glucolipid from pyruvate-grown cells contained considerable amounts of 3-hydroxy-octanoic acid, in contrast to hexadecane-grown cells, which almost exclusively incorporated 3-hydroxy-decanoic acid into the glycine-glucolipid. The predominant proportion of the glycine-glucolipid was found in the cell pellet, while only minute amounts were present in the cell-free supernatant. The glycine-glucolipid isolated from the bacterial cell broth, cell pellet, or cell-free supernatant showed the same structure containing a glycine residue, in contrast to previous reports, which suggested that a glycine-free form of the glucolipid exists which is secreted into the supernatant. In conclusion, the glycine-glucolipid of A. borkumensis is resident to the cell wall and enables the bacterium to bind and solubilize alkanes at the lipid-water interface. IMPORTANCE Alcanivorax borkumensis is one of the most abundant marine bacteria found in areas of oil spills, where it degrades alkanes. The production of a glycine-glucolipid is considered an essential element for alkane degradation. We developed a quantitative method and determined the structure of the A. borkumensis glycine-glucolipid in different fractions of the cultures after growth in various media. Our results show that the amount of the glycine-glucolipid in the cells by far exceeds the amount measured in the supernatant, confirming the proposed cell wall localization. These results support the scenario that the surface hydrophobicity of A. borkumensis cells increases by producing the glycine-glucolipid, allowing the cells to attach to the alkane-water interface and form a biofilm. We found no evidence for a glycine-free form of the glucolipid.

Effect of Temperature and Light Intensity on the Polar Lipidome of Endophytic Brown Algae Streblonema corymbiferum and Streblonema sp. In Vitro

The effect of temperature and light intensity on the polar lipidome of endophytic brown algae Streblonema corymbiferum and Streblonema sp. in vitro was investigated. More than 460 molecular species have been identified in four glycoglycerolipids classes, five phosphoglycerolipids classes and one betaine lipid class. The lipids glucuronosyldiacylglycerol and diacylglyceryl-N,N,N-trimethyl-homoserine were found in the algae of the order Ectocarpales for the first time. A decrease in cultivation temperature led to an increase in the unsaturation level in all classes of polar lipids. Thus, at low temperatures, the content of 18:4/18:4 monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), 20:5/18:4 digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), 18:3/16:0 sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), 18:3/18:3 and 18:3/18:4 phosphatidylglycerol (PG), 20:4/20:5 and 20:5/20:5 phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), 14:0/20:5, 16:0/20:5 and 20:5/20:5 phosphatidylcholine (PC), 20:5/20:4 phosphatidylhydroxyethylglycine and 18:1/18:2 DGTS increased. At high temperatures, an increase in the content of chloroplast-derived MGDG, DGDG and PG was observed. Both low and high light intensities caused an increase in 20:5/18:3 MGDG and 18:3/16:1 PG. At low light intensity, the content of DGDG with fatty acid (FA) 18:3 increased, and at high light intensity, it was with FA 20:5. The molecular species composition of extraplastid lipids also showed a dependence on light intensity. Thus, the content of PC and PE species with C20-polyunsaturated FA at both sn-positions, 18:1/18:1 DGTS and 16:0/18:1 phosphatidylinositol increased. Low light intensity induced a significant increase in the content of chloroplast-derived 18:1/16:1 phosphatidylethanolamine.

Amino Acid-Coupled Bromophenols and a Sulfated Dimethylsulfonium Lanosol from the Red Alga Vertebrata lanosa

Vertebrata lanosa is a red alga that can commonly be found along the shores of Europe and North America. Its composition of bromophenols has been studied intensely. The aim of the current study was therefore to further investigate the phytochemistry of this alga, focusing more on the polar components. In total, 23 substances were isolated, including lanosol-4,7-disulfate (4) and the new compounds 3,5-dibromotyrosine (12), 3-bromo-5-sulfodihydroxyphenylalanine (13), 3-bromo-6-lanosyl dihydroxyphenylalanine (14), 3-(6′-lanosyl lanosyl) tyrosine (15) and 5-sulfovertebratol (16). In addition, 4-sulfo-7-dimethylsulfonium lanosol (7) was identified. While, in general, the dimethylsulfonium moiety is widespread in algae, its appearance in bromophenol is unique. Moreover, the major glycerogalactolipids, including the new ((5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)-eicosapentaenoic acid 3′-[(6′’-O-α-galactopyranosyl-β-D-galactopyranosyl)]-1-glycerol ester (23), and mycosporine-like amino acids, porphyra-334 (17), aplysiapalythine A (18) and palythine (19), were identified.

Enhanced Adaptability to Limited Water Supply Regulated by Diethyl Aminoethyl Hexanoate (DA-6) Associated With Lipidomic Reprogramming in Two White Clover Genotypes

Membrane lipid reprogramming is one of the most important adaptive strategies in plant species under unfavorable environmental circumstances. Therefore, the present experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA-6), a novel synthetic plant growth regulator, on oxidative damage, photosynthetic performance, changes in lipidomic profile, and unsaturation index of lipids in two white clover (Trifolium repens) cultivars (drought-sensitive "Ladino" and drought-resistant "Riverdel") under PEG-6000-induced water-deficit stress. Results revealed that water-deficit stress significantly enhanced oxidative damage and decreased photosynthetic functions in both cultivars. However, the damage was less in Riverdel. In addition, water-deficit stress significantly decreased the relative content of monogalactocyl-diacylglycerols (MGDG), sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerols (SQDG), phosphatidic acisd (PA), phosphatidyl-ethanolamines (PE), phosphatidyl-glycerols (PG), phosphatidyl-serines (PS), ceramides (Cer), hexosylmonoceramides (Hex1Cer), sphingomyelins (SM), and sphingosines (Sph) in both cultivars, but a more pronounced decline was observed in Ladino. Exogenous application of DA-6 significantly increased the relative content of digalactocyl-diacylglycerols (DGDG), monogalactocyl-diacylglycerolsabstra (MGDG), sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerols (SQDG), phosphatidic acids (PA), phosphatidyl-ethanolamines (PE), phosphatidyl-glycerols (PG), phosphatidyl-inositols (PI), phosphatidyl-serines (PS), ceramides (Cer), hexosylmonoceramides (Hex1Cer), neutral glycosphingolipids (CerG2GNAc1), and sphingosines (Sph) in the two cultivars under water-deficit stress. DA-6-treated Riverdel exhibited a significantly higher DGDG:MGDG ratio and relative content of sphingomyelins (SM) than untreated plants in response to water deficiency. Furthermore, the DA-6-pretreated plants increased the unsaturation index of phosphatidic acids (PA) and phosphatidylinositols (PI) in Ladino, ceramides (Cer) and hexosylmonoceramides (Hex1Cer) in Riverdel, and sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerols (SQDG) in both cultivars under water stress. These results suggested that DA-6 regulated drought resistance in white clover could be associated with increased lipid content and reprogramming, higher DGDG:MGDG ratio, and improved unsaturation index of lipids, contributing to enhanced membrane stability, integrity, fluidity, and downstream signaling transduction.

Bioprospecting Bioactive Polar Lipids from Olive (Olea europaea cv. Galega vulgar) Fruit Seeds: LC-HR-MS/MS Fingerprinting and Sub-Geographic Comparison

Olive seeds have been considered as a new nutritionally healthy food supplement. They are rich in monounsaturated n-9 and essential polyunsaturated n-6 lipids. However, little is known about their polar lipids, potentially bioactive and chemical identity markers for olive pulp and oil. This work aimed to identify the polar lipidome of olive seeds to find possible bioactive compounds and markers of geographic origin, by studying samples from six Portuguese sub-regions. Polar lipids were obtained by solid/liquid extraction, NH₂-solid-phase extraction, and identified by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC)-HR-ESI-MS and MS/MS. Ninety-four compounds were identified, including phospholipids, glycolipids, sphingolipids, and acyl sterol glycosides, several of which bear polyunsaturated fatty acids. Multivariate statistical analysis found unique profiles within each sub-region and markers of geographic identity, primarily phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, and lysophosphatidylethanolamines. Therefore, polar lipid signatures should be further investigated, to assess their bioactivity, nutritional value, and chemical identity for valuing olive seeds and their oil.

The Role of Triacylglycerol in the Protection of Cells against Lipotoxicity under Drought in Lolium multiflorum/Festucaarundinacea Introgression Forms

Triacylglycerol is a key lipid compound involved in maintaining homeostasis of both membrane lipids and free fatty acids (FFA) in plant cells under adverse environmental conditions. However, its role in the process of lipid remodeling has not been fully recognized, especially in monocots, including grass species. For our study, two closely related introgression forms of Lolium multiflorum (Italian ryegrass) and Festuca arundinacea (tall fescue), distinct in their level of drought tolerance, were selected as plant models to study rearrangements in plant lipidome under water deficit and further re-watering. The low drought tolerant (LDT) form revealed an elevated level of cellular membrane damage accompanied by an increased content of polyunsaturated FFA and triacylglycerol under water deficit, compared with the high drought tolerant (HDT) form. However, the LDT introgression form demonstrated also the ability to regenerate its membranes after stress cessation. The obtained results clearly indicated that accumulation of triacylglycerol under advanced drought in the LDT form could serve as a cellular protective mechanism against overaccumulation of toxic polyunsaturated FFA and other lipid intermediates. Furthermore, accumulation of triacylglycerol under drought conditions could serve also as storage of substrates required for further regeneration of membranes after stress cessation. The rearrangements in triacylglycerol metabolism were supported by the upregulation of several genes, involved in a biosynthesis of triacylglycerol. With respect to this process, diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase DGAT2 seems to play the most important role in the analyzed grasses.

Structures and functions of the gut microbial lipidome

Microbial lipids provide signals that are responsible for maintaining host health and controlling disease. The differences in the structures of microbial lipids have been shown to alter receptor selectivity and agonist/antagonist activity. Advanced lipidomics is an emerging field that helps to elucidate the complex bacterial lipid diversity. The use of cutting-edge technologies is expected to lead to the discovery of new functional metabolites involved in host homeostasis. This review aims to describe recent updates on functional lipid metabolites derived from gut microbiota, their structure-activity relationships, and advanced lipidomics technologies.

Substandard starch grain4 may function in amyloplast development by influencing starch and lipid metabolism in rice endosperm

The amyloplast is a specialized plastid in rice endosperm cells where starch is synthesized and stored as starch granules (SGs). However, little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying amyloplast and SG development. In this study, a novel mutant (c134) demonstrating a floury endosperm with enlarged SGs and amyloplasts was identified. The floury endosperm was caused by rounder, loosely packed SG. Grain-quality profile and expression analysis showed reduced contents of total starch and amylose in the c134 mutant, as well as reduced expression of a number of genes involved in starch biosynthesis. Galactosyldiacylglycerol (GDG) content and fatty acid synthesis play important roles in plastid development, and in the c134 endosperm, an obvious decrease in GDG and various fatty acids was observed, with down-regulated expression of various genes involved in lipid biosynthesis. Furthermore, map-based cloning revealed an amino acid substitution (glycine to aspartic acid) in the substandard starch grain4 (SSG4) protein. The results of this study suggest that SSG4 influences the regulation of starch and lipid metabolism as well as amyloplast development, a finding that is useful for potential genetic improvement of rice grain quality in future starch and lipid breeding and biotechnology.

Role of Globotriaosylceramide in Physiology and Pathology

At first glance, the biological function of globoside (Gb) clusters appears to be that of glycosphingolipid (GSL) receptors for bacterial toxins that mediate host-pathogen interaction. Indeed, certain bacterial toxin families have been evolutionarily arranged so that they can enter eukaryotic cells through GSL receptors. A closer look reveals this molecular arrangement allocated on a variety of eukaryotic cell membranes, with its role revolving around physiological regulation and pathological processes. What makes Gb such a ubiquitous functional arrangement? Perhaps its peculiarity is underpinned by the molecular structure itself, the nature of Gb-bound ligands, or the intracellular trafficking unleashed by those ligands. Moreover, Gb biological conspicuousness may not lie on intrinsic properties or on its enzymatic synthesis/degradation pathways. The present review traverses these biological aspects, focusing mainly on globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), a GSL molecule present in cell membranes of distinct cell types, and proposes a wrap-up discussion with a phylogenetic view and the physiological and pathological functional alternatives.

Restoring Oat Nanoparticles Mediated Brain Memory Function of Mice Fed Alcohol by Sorting Inflammatory Dectin-1 Complex Into Microglial Exosomes

Microglia modulate pro-inflammatory and neurotoxic activities. Edible plant-derived factors improve brain function. Current knowledge of the molecular interactions between edible plant-derived factors and the microglial cell is limited. Here an alcohol-induced chronic brain inflammation model is used to identify that the microglial cell is the novel target of oat nanoparticles (oatN). Oral administration of oatN inhibits brain inflammation and improves brain memory function of mice that are fed alcohol. Mechanistically, ethanol activates dectin-1 mediated inflammatory pathway. OatN is taken up by microglial cells via β-glucan mediated binding to microglial hippocalcin (HPCA) whereas oatN digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) prevents assess of oatN β-glucan to dectin-1. Subsequently endocytosed β-glucan/HPCA is recruited in an endosomal recycling compartment (ERC) via interaction with Rab11a. This complex then sequesters the dectin-1 in the ERC in an oatN β-glucan dependent manner and alters the location of dectin-1 from Golgi to early endosomes and lysosomes and increases exportation of dectin-1 into exosomes in an Rab11a dependent manner. Collectively, these cascading actions lead to preventing the activation of the alcoholic induced brain inflammation signing pathway(s). This coordinated assembling of the HPCA/Rab11a/dectin-1 complex by oral administration of oatN may contribute to the prevention of brain inflammation.

Modulators or facilitators? Roles of lipids in plant root-microbe interactions

Lipids have diverse functions in regulating the plasma membrane's cellular processes and signaling mediation. Plasma membrane lipids are also involved in the plant's complex interactions with the surrounding microorganisms, with which plants are in various forms of symbiosis. The roles of lipids influence the whole microbial colonization process, thus shaping the rhizomicrobiome. As chemical signals, lipids facilitate the stages of rhizospheric interactions - from plant root to microbe, microbe to microbe, and microbe to plant root - and modulate the plant's defense responses upon perception or contact with either beneficial or phytopathogenic microorganisms. Although studies have come a long way, further investigation is needed to discover more lipid species and elucidate novel lipid functions and profiles under various stages of plant root-microbe interactions.

The state of the art in plant lipidomics

Lipids are a group of compounds with diverse structures that perform several important functions in plants. To unravel and better understand their in vivo functions, plant biologists have been using various lipidomic technologies including liquid-chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS). However, there are still significant challenges in LC-MS based plant lipidomics, which need to be addressed. In this review, we provide an overview of the key developments in LC-MS based lipidomic approaches to detect and identify plant lipids with emphasis on areas that can be further improved. Given that the cellular lipidome is estimated to contain hundreds of thousands of lipids,^1,2 many of the lipid structures remain to be discovered. Furthermore, the plant lipidome is considered to be significantly more complex compared to that of mammals. Recent technical developments in mass spectrometry have made the detection of novel lipids possible; hence, approaches that can be used for plant lipid discovery are also discussed.

Grape Lipidomics: An Extensive Profiling thorough UHPLC-MS/MS Method

Lipids play many essential roles in living organisms, which accounts for the great diversity of these amphiphilic molecules within the individual lipid classes, while their composition depends on intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Recent developments in mass spectrometric methods have significantly contributed to the widespread application of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approach to the analysis of plant lipids. However, only a few investigators have studied the extensive composition of grape lipids. The present work describes the development of an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method that includes 8098 MRM; the method has been validated using a reference sample of grapes at maturity with a successful analysis and semi-quantification of 412 compounds. The aforementioned method was subsequently applied also to the analysis of the lipid profile variation during the Ribolla Gialla cv. grape maturation process. The partial least squares (PLS) regression model fitted to our experimental data showed that a higher proportion of certain glycerophospholipids (i.e., glycerophosphoethanolamines, PE and glycerophosphoglycerols, PG) and of some hydrolysates from those groups (i.e., lyso-glycerophosphocholines, LPC and lyso-glycerophosphoethanolamines, LPE) can be positively associated with the increasing °Brix rate, while a negative association was found for ceramides (CER) and galactolipids digalactosyldiacylglycerols (DGDG). The validated method has proven to be robust and informative for profiling grape lipids, with the possibility of application to other studies and matrices.

Oxygen plasma modulates glucosinolate levels without affecting lipid contents and composition in Brassica napus seeds

Rapeseed contains high levels of glucosinolates (GSLs), playing pivotal roles in defense against herbivores and pests. As their presence in rapeseed reduces the value of the meal for animal feeding, intensive efforts to reduce them produced low-seed GSL cultivars. However, there is no such variety suitable for the south part of Japan. Here, we tested the effects of cold oxygen plasma (oxygen CP) on seed germination and GSL and lipid content, in 3 rapeseed cultivars. According to the cultivars, oxygen CP slightly stimulated seed germination and modified the GSL levels, and decreased GSL levels in Kizakinonatane but increased those in Nanashikibu. In contrast, it negligibly affected the lipid content and composition in the 3 cultivars. Thus, oxygen CP modulated seed GSL levels without affecting seed viability and lipid content. Future optimization of this technique may help optimize rapeseed GSL content without plant breeding.

Galactosyldiacylglycerols: From a Photosynthesis-Associated Apparatus to Structure-Defined In Vitro Assembling

Being ubiquitously present in plants, microalgae, and cyanobacteria and as the major constituents of thylakoid membranes, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) make up approximately 52 and 26%, respectively, of chloroplast lipids. Thylakoid membranes harbor the photosynthetic complexes and numerous essential biochemical pathways where MGDG and DGDG play a central role in facilitating photosynthesis light reaction, maintaining chloroplast morphology, and responding to abiotic stresses. Furthermore, these galactolipids are also bioactive compounds with antitumor, antimicrobial, antiviral, immunosuppressive, and anti-inflammatory activities and important nutritional value. These characteristics are strictly dependent upon their fatty acyl chain length, olefinic nature, and stereoconfiguration. However, their application potentials are practically untapped, largely as a result of the fact that their availability in large quantity and high purity (structured galactolipids) is challenging. In addition to laborious extraction from natural sources, in vitro assembling of these molecules could be a promising alternative. Thus, this review updates the latest advances in elucidating biosynthesis paths of MGDG and DGDG and related enzyme systems, which present invaluable inspiration to design approaches for a retrosynthesis of galactolipids. More critically, this work summarizes recent developments in the biological and enzymatic syntheses of galactolipids, especially the strategic scenarios for the construction of in vitro enzymatic and/or chemoenzymatic synthesis routes. Protein engineering of enzymes involved in the synthesis of MGDG and DGDG to improve their properties is highlighted, and the applications of galactolipids in foods and medicine are also discussed.

Characterization of Glucuronosyl-diacyl/monoacylglycerols and Discovery of Their Acylated Derivatives in Tomato Lipid Extracts by Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography with Electrospray Ionization and Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Glucuronic acid containing diacylglycerols (3-(O-α-d-glucuronopyranosyl)-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerols, GlcA-DAG) are glycolipids of plant membranes especially formed under phosphate-depletion conditions. An analytical approach for the structural characterization of GlcA-DAG in red ripe tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) extracts, based on reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) using a linear ion trap, is described in this paper. At least 14 GlcA-DAG (R₁/R₂) species, including four regioisomers, containing three predominant fatty acyl chains C16:0, C18:2, and C18:3, were identified for the first time. Moreover, 29 GlcA-DAG acylated on the glucuronosyl ring (acyl-R₃ GlcA-DAG) were discovered, alongside 15 acylated lyso-forms, i.e., acylated 3-(O-α-d-glucuronosyl)monoacylglycerols, abbreviated as acyl-R₃ GlcA-MAG (R₁/0) or (0/R₂). Although many of these acylated lyso-forms were isomeric with GlcA-DAG (i.e., acyl chains with equivalent sum composition), they were successfully separated by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) using a solid-core C18 column packed with 2.6 μm particle size. Tandem MS (and eventually MS³) data obtained from sodium adducts ([M + Na]⁺) and deprotonated molecules ([M - H]^-) were fundamental to detect diagnostic product ions related to the glucuronosyl ring and then determine the identity of all investigated glycolipids, especially to recognize the acyl chain linked to the ring. A classification of GlcA-MAG, GlcA-DAG, and acylated GlcA-DAG and GlcA-MAG was generated by an in house-built database. The discovery of acylated derivatives emphasized the already surprising heterogeneity of glucuronic acid-containing mono- and diacylglycerols in tomato plants, stimulating interesting questions on the role played by these glycolipids.

Lipidomics of Environmental Microbial Communities. I: Visualization of Component Distributions Using Untargeted Analysis of High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data

Lipids, as one of the main building blocks of cells, can provide valuable information on microorganisms in the environment. Traditionally, gas or liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) has been used to analyze environmental lipids. The resulting spectra were then processed through individual peak identification and comparison with previously published mass spectra. Here, we present an untargeted analysis of MS¹ spectral data generated by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry of environmental microbial communities. Rather than attempting to relate each mass spectrum to a specific compound, we have treated each mass spectrum as a component, which can be clustered together with other components based on similarity in their abundance depth profiles through the water column. We present this untargeted data visualization method on lipids of suspended particles from the water column of the Black Sea, which included >14,000 components. These components form clusters that correspond with distinct microbial communities driven by the highly stratified water column. The clusters include both known and unknown compounds, predominantly lipids, demonstrating the value of this rapid approach to visualize component distributions and identify novel lipid biomarkers.

C4-monomethylsterol β-glucoside and its synthase in Aurantiochytrium limacinum mh0186

Thraustochytrids, unicellular marine protists, synthesize polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and PUFA-containing phospholipids; however, little is known about their glycolipids and their associated metabolism. Here, we report two glycolipids (GL-A, B) and their synthases in Aurantiochytrium limacinum mh0186. Two glycolipids were purified from A. limacinum mh0186, and they were determined by gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance to be 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-stigmasta-5,7,22-triene (GL-A) and 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-4α-methyl-stigmasta-7,22-diene (GL-B), both of which are sterol β-glucosides (β-SGs); the structure of GL-B has not been reported thus far. Seven candidate genes responsible for the synthesis of these β-SGs were extracted from the draft genome database of A. limacinum using the yeast sterol β-glucosyltransferase (SGT; EC 2.4.1.173) sequence as a query. Expression analysis using Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that two gene products (AlSGT-1 and 2) catalyze the transfer of glucose from UDP-glucose to sterols, generating sterylglucosides (SGs). Compared to AlSGT-1, AlSGT-2 exhibited wide specificity for sterols and used C4-monomethylsterol to synthesize GL-B. The disruption of alsgt-2 but not alsgt-1 in strain mh0186 resulted in a decrease in total SG and almost complete loss of GL-B, indicating that AlSGT-2 is responsible for the synthesis of β-SGs in A. limacinum mh0186, especially GL-B, which possesses a unique sterol structure.

An Arabidopsis lipid map reveals differences between tissues and dynamic changes throughout development

Mass spectrometry is the predominant analytical tool used in the field of plant lipidomics. However, there are many challenges associated with the mass spectrometric detection and identification of lipids because of the highly complex nature of plant lipids. Studies into lipid biosynthetic pathways, gene functions in lipid metabolism, lipid changes during plant growth and development, and the holistic examination of the role of plant lipids in environmental stress responses are often hindered. Here, we leveraged a robust pipeline that we previously established to extract and analyze lipid profiles of different tissues and developmental stages from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We analyzed seven tissues at several different developmental stages and identified more than 200 lipids from each tissue analyzed. The data were used to create a web-accessible in silico lipid map that has been integrated into an electronic Fluorescent Pictograph (eFP) browser. This in silico library of Arabidopsis lipids allows the visualization and exploration of the distribution and changes of lipid levels across selected developmental stages. Furthermore, it provides information on the characteristic fragments of lipids and adducts observed in the mass spectrometer and their retention times, which can be used for lipid identification. The Arabidopsis tissue lipid map can be accessed at http://bar.utoronto.ca/efp_arabidopsis_lipid/cgi-bin/efpWeb.cgi.

A Glycolipid Glycosyltransferase with Broad Substrate Specificity from the Marine Bacterium "Candidatus Pelagibacter sp." Strain HTCC7211

In the marine environment, phosphorus availability significantly affects the lipid composition in many cosmopolitan marine heterotrophic bacteria, including members of the SAR11 clade and the Roseobacter clade. Under phosphorus stress conditions, nonphosphorus sugar-containing glycoglycerolipids are substitutes for phospholipids in these bacteria. Although these glycoglycerolipids play an important role as surrogates for phospholipids under phosphate deprivation, glycoglycerolipid synthases in marine microbes are poorly studied. In the present study, we biochemically characterized a glycolipid glycosyltransferase (GT_cp) from the marine bacterium “Candidatus Pelagibacter sp.” strain HTCC7211, a member of the SAR11 clade. Our results showed that GT_cp is able to act as a multifunctional enzyme by synthesizing different glycoglycerolipids with UDP-glucose, UDP-galactose, or UDP-glucuronic acid as sugar donors and diacylglycerol (DAG) as the acceptor. Analyses of enzyme kinetic parameters demonstrated that Mg²⁺ notably changes the enzyme’s affinity for UDP-glucose, which improves its catalytic efficiency. Homology modeling and mutational analyses revealed binding sites for the sugar donor and the diacylglycerol lipid acceptor, which provided insights into the retaining mechanism of GT_cp with its GT-B fold. A phylogenetic analysis showed that GT_cp and its homologs form a group in the GT4 glycosyltransferase family. These results not only provide new insights into the glycoglycerolipid synthesis mechanism in lipid remodeling but also describe an efficient enzymatic tool for the future synthesis of bioactive molecules.

IMPORTANCE The bilayer formed by membrane lipids serves as the containment unit for living microbial cells. In the marine environment, it has been firmly established that phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria can replace phospholipids with nonphosphorus sugar-containing glycoglycerolipids in response to phosphorus limitation. However, little is known about how these glycoglycerolipids are synthesized. Here, we determined the biochemical characteristics of a glycolipid glycosyltransferase (GT_cp) from the marine bacterium “Candidatus Pelagibacter sp.” strain HTCC7211. GT_cp and its homologs form a group in the GT4 glycosyltransferase family and can synthesize neutral glycolipids (monoglucosyl-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol [MGlc-DAG] and monogalactosyl [MGal]-DAG) and monoglucuronic acid diacylglycerol (MGlcA-DAG). We also uncovered the key residues for DAG binding through molecular docking, site-direct mutagenesis, and subsequent enzyme activity assays. Our data provide new insights into the glycoglycerolipid synthesis mechanism in lipid remodeling.

A metabolomic study of Gomphrena agrestis in Brazilian Cerrado suggests drought-adaptive strategies on metabolism

Drought is the main factor that limits the distribution and productivity of plant species. In the Brazilian Cerrado, the vegetation is adapted to a seasonal climate with long- and short-term periods of drought. To analyze the metabolic strategies under such conditions, a metabolomic approach was used to characterize Gomphrena agrestis Mart. (Amaranthaceae) a native species that grows under natural conditions, in a rock-field area. Roots and leaves material from native specimens were sampled along different seasons of the year and LC–MS and GC–MS analyzed for multiple chemical constituents. The datasets derived from the different measurements were combined and evaluated using multivariate analysis. Principal component analysis was used to obtain an overview of the samples and identify outliers. Later, the data was analyzed with orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis to obtain valid models that could explain the metabolite variations in the different seasons. Two hundred and eighty metabolites were annotated, generating a unique database to characterize metabolic strategies used to cope with the effects of drought. The accumulation of fructans in the thickened roots is consistent with the storage of carbons during the rainy season to support the energy demand during a long period of drought. The accumulation of Abscisic acid, sugars and sugar alcohols, phenolics, and pigment in the leaves suggests physiological adaptations. To cope with long-term drought, the data suggests that tissue water status and storage of reserves are important to support plant survival and regrowth. However, during short-term drought, osmoregulation and oxidative protection seems to be essential, probably to support the maintenance of active photosynthesis.

Sweet Modifications Modulate Plant Development

Plant development represents a continuous process in which the plant undergoes morphological, (epi)genetic and metabolic changes. Starting from pollination, seed maturation and germination, the plant continues to grow and develops specialized organs to survive, thrive and generate offspring. The development of plants and the interplay with its environment are highly linked to glycosylation of proteins and lipids as well as metabolism and signaling of sugars. Although the involvement of these protein modifications and sugars is well-studied, there is still a long road ahead to profoundly comprehend their nature, significance, importance for plant development and the interplay with stress responses. This review, approached from the plants' perspective, aims to focus on some key findings highlighting the importance of glycosylation and sugar signaling for plant development.

Unlocking the Health Potential of Microalgae as Sustainable Sources of Bioactive Compounds

Microalgae are known to produce a plethora of compounds derived from the primary and secondary metabolism. Different studies have shown that these compounds may have allelopathic, antimicrobial, and antipredator activities. In addition, in vitro and in vivo screenings have shown that several compounds have interesting bioactivities (such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial) for the possible prevention and treatment of human pathologies. Additionally, the enzymatic pathways responsible for the synthesis of these compounds, and the targets and mechanisms of their action have also been investigated for a few species. However, further research is necessary for their full exploitation and possible pharmaceutical and other industrial applications. Here, we review the current knowledge on the chemical characteristics, biological activities, mechanism of action, and the enzymes involved in the synthesis of microalgal metabolites with potential benefits for human health.

Arsenate-Induced Changes in Bacterial Metabolite and Lipid Pools during Phosphate Stress

Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4 is a heterotrophic arsenite-oxidizing bacterium with a high resistance to arsenic toxicity. It is now a model organism for studying the processes of arsenic detoxification and utilization. Previously, we demonstrated that under low-phosphate conditions, arsenate [As(V)] could enhance bacterial growth and be incorporated into biomolecules, including lipids. While the basic microbial As(V) resistance mechanisms have been characterized, global metabolic responses under low phosphate remain largely unknown. In the present work, the impacts of As(V) and low phosphate on intracellular metabolite and lipid profiles of GW4 were quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) in combination with transcriptional assays and the analysis of intracellular ATP and NADH levels. Metabolite profiling revealed that oxidative stress response pathways were altered and suggested an increase in DNA repair. Changes in metabolite levels in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle along with increased ATP are consistent with As(V)-enhanced growth of A. tumefaciens GW4. Lipidomics analysis revealed that most glycerophospholipids decreased in abundance when As(V) was available. However, several glycerolipid classes increased, an outcome that is consistent with maximizing growth via a phosphate-sparing phenotype. Differentially regulated lipids included phosphotidylcholine and lysophospholipids, which have not been previously reported in A. tumefaciens The metabolites and lipids identified in this study deepen our understanding of the interplay between phosphate and arsenate on chemical and metabolic levels.IMPORTANCE Arsenic is widespread in the environment and is one of the most ubiquitous environmental pollutants. Parodoxically, the growth of certain bacteria is enhanced by arsenic when phosphate is limited. Arsenate and phosphate are chemically similar, and this behavior is believed to represent a phosphate-sparing phenotype in which arsenate is used in place of phosphate in certain biomolecules. The research presented here uses a global approach to track metabolic changes in an environmentally relevant bacterium during exposure to arsenate when phosphate is low. Our findings are relevant for understanding the environmental fate of arsenic as well as how human-associated microbiomes respond to this common toxin.

Isolation and purification of glycoglycerolipids to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells

Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) is the most abundant type of glycoglycerolipid found in the plant cell membrane and mostly in the chloroplast thylakoid membrane. The amphiphilic nature of MGDG is attractive in pharmaceutical fields for interaction with other biological molecules and hence exerting therapeutic anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of cyanobacteria derived MGDG to inhibit breast cancer cell growth. MGDG was extracted from a cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 followed by a subsequent fractionation by column chromatographic technique. The purity and molecular structure of MGDG were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analysis. The presence of MGDG in the extracted fraction was further confirmed and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The anti-proliferation activity of the extracted MGDG molecule was tested against BT-474 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. The in vitro study showed that MGDG extracted from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 induced apoptosis in (70 ± 8) % of BT-474 (p < 0.001) and (58 ± 5) % of MDA-MB-231 cells (p < 0.001) using ~ 60 and 200 ng/ml of concentrations, respectively. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration, IC₅₀ of MGDG extracted from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 were (27.2 ± 7.6) and (150 ± 70) ng/ml in BT-474 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively. Quantification of caspase-3/7 activity using flow cytometry showed (3.0 ± 0.4) and (2.1 ± 0.04)-fold (p < 0.001) higher protein expressions in the MGDG treated BT-474 and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively than untreated controls conferring to the caspase-dependent apoptosis. The MGDG did not show any significant cytotoxic side effects in human dermal fibroblasts cells. A commercially available MGDG control did not induce any apoptotic cell death in cancer cells substantiating the potential of the MGDG extracted from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for the treatment of breast cancer cells through the apoptosis-mediated pathway.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Diglycosyl Diacylglycerols with Glycosyl Donors Bearing a β-Stereodirecting 2,3-Naphthalenedimethyl Protecting Group

Diglycosyl diacylglycerols (DGDGs) are major components of Gram-positive bacterial plasma membranes and are involved in the immune response systems. The chemical synthesis of DGDGs has been highly demanded, as it will allow the elucidation of their biological functions at the molecular level. In this study, we have developed a novel β-stereodirecting 2,3-naphthalenedimethyl (NapDM) protecting group that is orthogonal to protecting groups commonly used in oligosaccharide synthesis. The NapDM group can be easily cleaved under TFA-mediated acidic conditions. Futhermore, we demonstrated the application of this protecting group to an acyl protecting-group-free strategy by utilizing the NapDM group for the synthesis of DGDGs. This strategy features the use of the β-stereodirecting NapDM group as an acid-cleavable permanent protecting group and late-stage glycosylation of monoglycosyl diacylglycerol acceptors, enabling the stereoselective synthesis of three different bacterial DGDGs with unsaturated fatty acid chain(s).

Investigation on green tea lipids and their metabolic variations during manufacturing by nontargeted lipidomics

Lipids are hydrophobic metabolites implicated in tea flavor quality. Understanding their transformations during tea manufacture is of particular interest. To date, the detailed lipid composition and variations during green tea manufacture are largely unknown. Herein, we performed a comprehensive characterization of the dynamic changes of lipids during green tea manufacture, by applying nontargeted lipidomics using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Exactive/MS) combined with chemometric tools. Totally, 283 lipid species were detected, covering 20 subclasses. Significant lipidomic variations were observed during green tea manufacture, especially in the fixation stage, mainly associated with chlorophyll decomposition, phosphatidic acids (PAs) reduction and glycolipids degradation, which potentially contribute to tea color and aroma quality. Specifically, the most prominent decrease of PAs content during green tea manufacture was identified for the first time. This study provides insights into the lipid metabolic fates upon green tea manufacture, and their roles in green tea sensory quality.

Antimicrobial Lipids from Plants and Marine Organisms: An Overview of the Current State-of-the-Art and Future Prospects

In the actual post-antibiotic era, novel ways of rethinking antimicrobial research approaches are more urgent than ever. Natural compounds with antimicrobial activity such as fatty acids and monoacylglycerols have been investigated for decades. Additionally, the interest in other lipid classes as antimicrobial agents is rising. This review provides an overview on the research about plant and marine lipids with potential antimicrobial activity, the methods for obtaining and analyzing these compounds, with emphasis on lipidomics, and future perspectives for bioprospection and applications for antimicrobial lipids. Lipid extracts or lipids isolated from higher plants, algae or marine invertebrates are promising molecules to inactivate a wide spectrum of microorganisms. These lipids include a variety of chemical structures. Present and future challenges in the research of antimicrobial lipids from natural origin are related to the investment and optimization of the analytical workflow based on lipidomics tools, complementary to the bioassay-guided fractionation, to identify the active compound(s). Also, further work is needed regarding the study of their mechanism of action, the structure-activity relationship, the synergistic effect with conventional antibiotics, and the eventual development of resistance to lipids, which, as far as is known, is unlikely.

Coping with Starvation: Contrasting Lipidomic Dynamics in the Cells of Two Sacoglossan Sea Slugs Incorporating Stolen Plastids from the Same Macroalga

Several species of sacoglossan sea slugs are able to sequester chloroplasts from algae and incorporate them into their cells. However, the ability to maintain functional "stolen" plastids (kleptoplasts) can vary significantly within the Sacoglossa, giving species different capacities to withstand periods of food shortage. The present study provides an insight on the comparative shifts experienced by the lipidome of two sacoglossan sea slug species, Elysia viridis (long-term retention of functional chloroplasts) and Placida dendritica (retention of non-functional chloroplasts). A hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry approach was employed to screen the lipidome of specimens from both species feeding on the macroalga Codium tomentosum and after 1-week of starvation. The lipidome of E. viridis was generally unaffected by the absence of food, while that of P. dendritica varied significantly. The retention of functional chloroplasts by E. viridis cells allows this species to endure periods of food shortage, while in P. dendritica a significant reduction in the amount of main lipids was the consequence of the consumption of its own mass to endure starvation. The large proportion of ether phospholipids (plasmalogens) in both sea slug species suggests that these compounds may play a key role in chloroplast incorporation in sea slug cells and/or be involved in the reduction of the oxidative stress resulting from the presence of kleptoplasts.