Emerging roles for conjugated sterols in plants. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ferrer, Albert; Altabella, Teresa; Arró, Montserrat; Boronat, Albert
• Is Part Of: Progress in lipid research. Volume 67(2017:Jul.)
• Page Start: 27
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: ASG acyl steryl glycoside -- DIM detergent-insoluble membrane -- ER endoplasmic reticulum -- FS free sterol -- LD lipid droplet -- SE steryl ester -- SG steryl glycoside -- PM plasma membrane; Sterol -- Conjugated sterol -- Steryl ester -- Steryl glycoside -- Acyl steryl glycoside; Lipids -- Periodicals; Lipids -- Periodicals; Lipides -- Périodiques; Lipiden; 572.57
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2017.06.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0163-7827

Abstract

Abstract: In plants, sterols are found in free form (free sterols, FSs) and conjugated as steryl esters (SEs), steryl glycosides (SGs) and acyl steryl glycosides (ASGs). Conjugated sterols are ubiquitously found in plants but their relative contents highly differ among species and their profile may change in response to developmental and environmental cues. SEs play a central role in membrane sterol homeostasis and also represent a storage pool of sterols in particular plant tissues. SGs and ASGs are main components of the plant plasma membrane (PM) that specifically accumulate in lipid rafts, PM microdomains known to mediate many relevant cellular processes. There are increasing evidences supporting the involvement of conjugated sterols in plant stress responses. In spite of this, very little is known about their metabolism. At present, only a limited number of genes encoding enzymes participating in conjugated sterol metabolism have been cloned and characterized in plants. The aim of this review is to update the current knowledge about the tissue and cellular distribution of conjugated sterols in plants and the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis. We also discuss novel aspects on the role of conjugated sterols in plant development and stress responses recently unveiled using forward- and reverse-genetic approaches.