Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (Feb 2023)

Seipin—still a mysterious protein?

  • Veijo T. Salo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1112954
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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Cells store excess energy in the form of lipid droplets (LDs), a specialized sub-compartment of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) network. The lipodystrophy protein seipin is a key player in LD biogenesis and ER-LD contact site maintenance. Recent structural and in silico studies have started to shed light on the molecular function of seipin as a LD nucleator in early LD biogenesis, whilst new cell biological work implies a role for seipin in ER-mitochondria contact sites and calcium metabolism. In this minireview, I discuss recent insights into the molecular function of seipin.

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