Lipids are not only essential building blocks of biological membranes, but they also emerge as bona fide regulators of cellular and developmental processes. Indeed, lipids act as both biochemical and biophysical landmarks on cellular membranes to specify organelle identity and differentiate sub-populations of organelles that will establish plasma membrane domains and cell polarity. A fascinating topic in cell biology, is how these subcellular patterns of lipids arise in the cell despite the constant exchange of membranes between the different cell compartments. In addition, understanding the organization and function of membrane contact sites (MCSs) is an actual challenge to unravel the complexity of lipid exchange during cell compartments interaction. In turn, lipid patterning is an integral part of membrane trafficking events, since distinct lipids recruit a multitude of trafficking regulators (e.g. coat proteins, molecular motors, etc.) and directly influence membrane physicochemical properties (e.g. packing defect, electrostatics, curvature), which regulate compartment morphodynamics. Additionally, lipid membrane composition contributes to regulate polar tip growth (e.g. neurons, root hairs), plasma membrane and tissue polarity, key features in the development of multicellular organisms.
While the question of the links between lipids and intracellular trafficking is of very broad relevance to any eukaryotic cells, this Research Topic focuses on their roles in plants. Plant membranes share many characteristics with other eukaryotes, nonetheless they have singular features, including the presence of unique lipids (e.g. phytosterol, GIPC, galactolipids) and a drastically different endomembrane system (e.g. presence of chloroplasts, several vacuoles, a unique compartment that serves as trans-Golgi Network (TGN) and early endosome).
In this Research Topic, we will notably focus on the following questions:
• How are lipid patterns in the cell achieved, both at the “macro” scale (i.e. between different membrane compartments or pole of the cell) and “nano” scale (segregation of lipids in domains within a single membrane)? And what are the contributions of intracellular trafficking and lipid exchange at MCSs between organelles in the establishment of these patterns?
• How membrane physicochemical properties participate in membrane trafficking and cell signaling?
• How lipids contribute to the recruitment and function of trafficking complexes, cytoskeleton components and tethering element at contact sites?
• To what extend does the coupling between lipid homeostasis and trafficking contribute to plant development, environmental adaptation (including response to biotic and abiotic stresses) and reproduction?
• How lipid-mediated trafficking mechanisms have diversified with the appearance of multicellular organisms during plant evolution?
We welcome interested researchers that would like to contribute to this Research Topic in a wide variety of formats including Original Research Articles, Opinion Articles or Review Articles.
Lipids are not only essential building blocks of biological membranes, but they also emerge as bona fide regulators of cellular and developmental processes. Indeed, lipids act as both biochemical and biophysical landmarks on cellular membranes to specify organelle identity and differentiate sub-populations of organelles that will establish plasma membrane domains and cell polarity. A fascinating topic in cell biology, is how these subcellular patterns of lipids arise in the cell despite the constant exchange of membranes between the different cell compartments. In addition, understanding the organization and function of membrane contact sites (MCSs) is an actual challenge to unravel the complexity of lipid exchange during cell compartments interaction. In turn, lipid patterning is an integral part of membrane trafficking events, since distinct lipids recruit a multitude of trafficking regulators (e.g. coat proteins, molecular motors, etc.) and directly influence membrane physicochemical properties (e.g. packing defect, electrostatics, curvature), which regulate compartment morphodynamics. Additionally, lipid membrane composition contributes to regulate polar tip growth (e.g. neurons, root hairs), plasma membrane and tissue polarity, key features in the development of multicellular organisms.
While the question of the links between lipids and intracellular trafficking is of very broad relevance to any eukaryotic cells, this Research Topic focuses on their roles in plants. Plant membranes share many characteristics with other eukaryotes, nonetheless they have singular features, including the presence of unique lipids (e.g. phytosterol, GIPC, galactolipids) and a drastically different endomembrane system (e.g. presence of chloroplasts, several vacuoles, a unique compartment that serves as trans-Golgi Network (TGN) and early endosome).
In this Research Topic, we will notably focus on the following questions:
• How are lipid patterns in the cell achieved, both at the “macro” scale (i.e. between different membrane compartments or pole of the cell) and “nano” scale (segregation of lipids in domains within a single membrane)? And what are the contributions of intracellular trafficking and lipid exchange at MCSs between organelles in the establishment of these patterns?
• How membrane physicochemical properties participate in membrane trafficking and cell signaling?
• How lipids contribute to the recruitment and function of trafficking complexes, cytoskeleton components and tethering element at contact sites?
• To what extend does the coupling between lipid homeostasis and trafficking contribute to plant development, environmental adaptation (including response to biotic and abiotic stresses) and reproduction?
• How lipid-mediated trafficking mechanisms have diversified with the appearance of multicellular organisms during plant evolution?
We welcome interested researchers that would like to contribute to this Research Topic in a wide variety of formats including Original Research Articles, Opinion Articles or Review Articles.
