Plant membrane-protein mediated intracellular traffic of fatty acids and acyl lipids

- Increased seed oil synthesis by enhanced pyruvate transport into plastids.
- Identification of a membrane transporter for plastid fatty acid export.
- Mediation of ER to plastid lipid transfer by a P4-type ATPase in the ER.
- A mitochondrial membrane protein for lipid transfer during phosphate starvation.

In plants, de novo synthesis of fatty acids (FAs) occurs in plastids, whereas assembly and modification of acyl lipids is accomplished in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plastids as well as in mitochondria. Subsequently, lipophilic compounds are distributed within the cell and delivered to their destination site. Thus, constant acyl-exchanges between subcellular compartments exist. These can occur via several modes of transport and plant membrane-intrinsic proteins for FA/lipid transfer have been shown to play an essential role in delivery and distribution. Lately, substantial progress has been made in identification and characterization of transport proteins for lipid compounds in plant organelle membranes. In this review, we focus on our current understanding of protein mediated lipid traffic between organelles of land plants.