The endoplasmic reticulum enzyme DGAT2 is found in mitochondria-associated membranes and has a mitochondrial targeting signal that promotes its association with mitochondria.

ABSTRACT: The synthesis and storage of neutral lipids in lipid droplets is a fundamental property of eukaryotic cells, but the spatial organization of this process is poorly understood. Here we examined the intracellular localization of acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2), an enzyme that catalyzes the final step of triacylglycerol (TG) synthesis in eukaryotes. We found that DGAT2 expressed in cultured cells localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) under basal conditions. After providing oleate to drive TG synthesis, DGAT2 also localized to near the surface of lipid droplets, where it co-localized with mitochondria. Biochemical fractionation revealed that DGAT2 is present in mitochondria-associated membranes, specialized domains of the ER that are highly enriched in lipid synthetic e

SUBMITTER: Stone SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2643492 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature