Highlights d LDAF1 and seipin form an 600 kDa oligomeric complex in the ER bilayer d The LDAF1-seipin complex determines the sites of lipid droplet formation in the ER d LDAF1 dissociates from seipin and moves to the growing lipid droplet surface d LDAF1 facilitates lipid droplet formation at low ER triglyceride concentration

Graphical Abstract Highlights d Treatment of cells with palmitate increases saturated glycerolipids and ER stress d Di-saturated glycerolipids are key to lipotoxicity in this model d Inhibiting ER-localized GPAT enzymes protects cells from lipotoxicity d Depletion of the putative E3 ligase RNF213 protects cells from lipotoxicity In Brief Cellular lipotoxicity due to saturated fatty acids causes cell death and is thought to be a root cause of metabolic diseases. Piccolis, Bond, et al. use unbiased analyses to reveal hundreds of genes modulating cellular palmitate lipotoxicity and implicate saturated glycerolipids as a causative factor.

Metabolic energy is stored in cells primarily as triacylglycerols in lipid droplets (LDs), and LD dysregulation leads to metabolic diseases. The formation of monolayer-bound LDs from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) bilayer is poorly understood, but the ER protein seipin is essential to this process. In this study, we report a cryo–electron microscopy structure and functional characterization of Drosophila melanogaster seipin. The structure reveals a ring-shaped dodecamer with the luminal domain of each monomer resolved at ∼4.0 Å. Each luminal domain monomer exhibits two distinctive features: a hydrophobic helix (HH) positioned toward the ER bilayer and a β-sandwich domain with structural similarity to lipid-binding proteins. This structure and our functional testing in cells suggest a model in which seipin oligomers initially detect forming LDs in the ER via HHs and subsequently act as membrane anchors to enable lipid transfer and LD growth.

Highlights d Global RNAi screening identifies determinants of lipid storage in human macrophages d RNAi screen hits belong to six major classes with distinct lipid droplet morphology d MLX family of transcription factors bind to lipid droplets via amphipathic helices d Lipid droplet binding reduces MLX/MLXIP/MLXIPL transcriptional activity

Nanoengineered particles that can facilitate drug formulation and improve specificity of delivery afford exciting opportunities for improved lesion-specific therapy. Understanding and controlling the nano-bio interactions of these materials is central to future developments in this area. Mass-spectrometry-based proteomics techniques, in conjunction with other emerging technologies, are enabling novel insights into the modulation of particle surfaces by biological fluids (formation of the protein corona) and subsequent particle-induced cellular responses. In this Perspective, we summarize important recent developments using proteomics-based techniques to understand nano-bio interactions and discuss the impact of such knowledge on improving particle design.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by excess lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and represents a huge public health problem owing to its propensity to progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and liver failure. The lipids stored in hepatic steatosis (HS) are primarily triglycerides (TGs) synthesized by two acyl‐CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) enzymes. Either DGAT1 or DGAT2 catalyzes this reaction, and these enzymes have been suggested to differentially utilize exogenous or endogenously synthesized fatty acids, respectively. DGAT2 has been linked to storage of fatty acids from de novo lipogenesis, a process increased in NAFLD. However, whether DGAT2 is more responsible for lipid accumulation in NAFLD and progression to fibrosis is currently unknown. Also, it is unresolved whether DGAT2 can be safely inhibited as a therapy for NAFLD. Here, we induced NAFLD‐like disease in mice by feeding a diet rich in fructose, saturated fat, and cholesterol and found that hepatocyte‐specific Dgat2 deficiency reduced expression of de novo lipogenesis genes and lowered liver TGs by ~70%. Importantly, the reduction in steatosis was not accompanied by increased inflammation or fibrosis, and insulin and glucose metabolism were unchanged. Conclusion: This study suggests that hepatic DGAT2 deficiency successfully reduces diet‐induced HS and supports development of DGAT2 inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy for treating NAFLD and preventing downstream consequences.

ADAM17, also known as tumor necrosis factor α-converting enzyme, is involved in the ectodomain shedding of many integral membrane proteins. We have previously reported that ADAM17 is able to mediate the cleavage secretion of the ectodomain of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a functional receptor for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. In this study, we demonstrate that purified recombinant human ADAM17 is able to cleave a 20-amino acid peptide mimetic corresponding to the extracellular juxtamembrane region of human ACE2 between Arg(708) and Ser(709). A series of peptide analogues were also synthesized, showing that glutamate subtitution at Arg(708) and/or Arg(710) attenuated the cleavage process, while alanine substitution at Arg(708) and/or Ser(709) did not inhibit peptide cleavage by recombinant ADAM17. Analysis of CD spectra showed a minimal difference in the secondary structure of the peptide analogues in the buffer system used for the ADAM17 cleavage assay. The observation of the shedding profiles of ACE2 mutants expressing CHO-K1 and CHO-P cells indicates that the Arg(708) → Glu(708) mutation and the Arg(708)Arg(710) → Glu(708)Glu(710) double mutation produced increases in the amount of ACE2 shed when stimulated by phorbol ester PMA. In summary, we have demonstrated that ADAM17 is able to cleave ACE2 peptide sequence analogues between Arg(708) and Ser(709). These findings also indicate that Arg(708) and Arg(710) play a role in site recognition in the regulation of ACE2 ectodomain shedding mediated by ADAM17.

Nanoporous polymer particles (NPPs) prepared by mesoporous silica templating show promise as a new class of versatile drug/gene delivery vehicles owning to their high payload capacity, functionality, and responsiveness. Understanding the cellular dynamics of such particles, including uptake, intracellular trafficking, and distribution, is an important requirement for their development as therapeutic carriers. Herein, we examine the spatiotemporal map of the cellular processing of submicrometer-sized disulfide-bonded poly(methacrylic acid) (PMASH) NPPs in HeLa cells using both flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. The data show that the PMASH NPPs are transported from the early endosomes to the lysosomes within a few minutes. Upon cell division, the lysosome-enclosed PMASH NPPs are distributed asymmetrically between two daughter cells. Statistical analysis of cells during cytokinesis suggests that partitioning of particles is biased with an average segregation deviation of 60%. Further, two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) analysis reveals that 127 out of 3059 identified spots are differentially regulated upon exposure to the PMASH NPPs. Pathway analysis of the proteomics data suggests that ubiquitylation, a reversible modification of cellular proteins with ubiquitin, plays a central role in overall cellular responses to the particles. These results provide important insights into the cellular dynamics and heterogeneity of NPPs, as well as the mechanisms that regulate the motility of these particles within cells, all of which have important implications for drug susceptibility characteristics in cancer cells using particle-based carriers.