Open Biology (Jan 2015)

Cell cycle progression is an essential regulatory component of phospholipid metabolism and membrane homeostasis

  • Miguel Sanchez-Alvarez,
  • Qifeng Zhang,
  • Fabian Finger,
  • Michael J. O. Wakelam,
  • Chris Bakal

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.150093
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5, no. 9

Abstract

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We show that phospholipid anabolism does not occur uniformly during the metazoan cell cycle. Transition to S-phase is required for optimal mobilization of lipid precursors, synthesis of specific phospholipid species and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis. Average changes observed in whole-cell phospholipid composition, and total ER lipid content, upon stimulation of cell growth can be explained by the cell cycle distribution of the population. TORC1 promotes phospholipid anabolism by slowing S/G2 progression. The cell cycle stage-specific nature of lipid biogenesis is dependent on p53. We propose that coupling lipid metabolism to cell cycle progression is a means by which cells have evolved to coordinate proliferation with cell and organelle growth.

Keywords