Diverse physiological functions exerted by fatty acyl chains in membrane phospholipids.

Abstract

Fatty acids in membrane phospholipids of mammalian cells and tissues exhibit a considerable structural diversity, including varying chain lengths and degrees of unsaturation. The diversity of fatty acyl chains in membrane phospholipids is formed by fatty acid remodeling of newly synthesized phospholipids. During the last decade, a series of phospholipid acyltransferases involved in fatty acid remodeling has been identified. Recently, unexpected biological roles of fatty acyl chains in membrane phospholipids are emerging from the knockout mice of the phospholipid acyltransferases.