03/08/2026
๐ Congratulations to Prof. Ho Yi MAK, his former PhD students Yan LI and Siwei HUANG, and the whole research team! ๐
Their new paper, "A conserved ER protein prevents lipotoxicity by stimulating the key enzyme in glycerolipid synthesis," has just been published in Nature Communications! ๐
How do cells survive a "high-fat diet"? Excess free fatty acids cause toxic stress (lipotoxicity), so cells must quickly convert and lock them away inside lipid droplets.
Prof. Makโs team discovered the "booster switch" for this vital defense mechanism! Using genetic, biochemical, and imaging techniques, they found that an ER protein (TMEM120A) teams up with another protein (CHP1) to supercharge GPAT4โthe cell's main fat-packing enzyme.
The researchers proved how vital this is, showing that lacking this system causes sterility in C. elegans fed a high-fat diet! ๐ชฑ๐งซ
In mammalian cells, excess fat triggers the trio of proteins to bind tighter together to rapidly boost protective lipid synthesis. Ultimately, this accelerated lipid storage mechanism successfully saves the cell from fat-induced damage! From nematodes to mammalian cells, this is a beautifully conserved mechanism showing exactly how cells dynamically adapt their machinery to survive toxic fat overload! ๐ก๏ธ๐ง
If you wish to know more, scan the QR code above! ๐ฑ
