Metabolic and functional connections between cytoplasmic and chloroplast triacylglycerol storage

Abstract

Neutral lipids in the form of triacylglycerol (TAG) have emerged as critical regulators of cellular energy balance, lipid homeostasis, growth, development and stress response in organisms ranging from plants to yeast. Although TAGs are mostly recognized as the main storage component in cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs), TAG-rich LDs with similar structural and functional characteristics to those found in the cytoplasm also exist in chloroplasts of microalgae and higher plants. Chloroplasts contain up to 70% of total lipids in photosynthetic cells, yet how organisms maintain chloroplast lipid homeostasis remains an under-investigated area of research. Here we summarize the current state of knowledge about the metabolism of TAG and its function in chloroplasts, with a focus on the enzymes catalyzing the final steps of TAG assembly and the role of TAG synthesis in protection against lipotoxicity. We also discuss emerging data regarding connections between cytoplasmic and chloroplast TAG metabolism and the role of autophagy in the degradation of chloroplast storage lipids.