Mechanisms for Controlling the Synthesis of Lipids

Lipids are synthesized, transported, and recognized
by the concerted actions of numerous enzymes,
binding proteins, and receptors. A comprehensive
analysis of lipid molecules, “lipidomics,” in the
context of genomics and proteomics is crucial to
understanding cellular physiology and pathology;
consequently, lipid biochemistry has become a major
research target of the postgenomic revolution and
systems biochemistry. This review is aimed at
studying the mechanisms involved in the regulation of
lipids. These mechanisms can either be short term or
long term. When the concentration of a particular
lipid is high in the body, it inhibits the rate–limiting
enzyme involves in its synthesis in a feedback
mechanism thereby limiting its rate of synthesis. The
synthesis of lipids can also be controlled through a
negative feed-back mechanism. This is situation
where the product when in a certain level, decreases
the activities of the enzymes involved in its synthesis
especially the rate–limiting enzymes. Diet also plays
a major role in this regulation. When a diet is rich in
a certain lipid, its synthesis is inhibited. Several
hormones have been reported to regulate the
synthesis of lipids. The transcription of the rate–
limiting enzyme also plays a role in the regulation of
the synthesis of lipids. This mechanism involves
several transcriptional factors. The synthesis of lipids
is well coordinated and regulated