Lipids articles from across Nature Portfolio

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are essential carriers for mRNA delivery, but lipid peroxide impurities in ionizable lipids can degrade into reactive aldehyde species, leading to loss of mRNA’s translation efficiency in vitro. Here, the authors underscore the importance of rigorous lipid stability and purity analysis to ensure the quality and stability of mRNA encapsulated in the LNPs.

Alzheimer’s disease disrupts brain lipid metabolism; while microglia are likely implicated, the relationship is unclear. Here, the authors show that microglia selectively regulate lysosomal and myelin lipids, but other lipid changes occur independently of microglia.

ER membranes tune protein degradation to lipid composition. Using reconstitution approaches, the authors show that the ubiquitin conjugating enzyme UBE2J2 senses lipid packing, modulating its own and partner enzyme activities; together, they integrate lipid saturation and cholesterol signals.

Cells must  adapt to environmental changes. Here, the authors show that TM9SF3 mediates PIP₂ translocation in response to extracellular acidification,  thereby regulating cell migration through cytoskeletal remodelling.

ELOVL6 is an acyltransferase involved in the synthesis of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. New work finds that inhibition of ELOVL6 function results in mislocalization of oncogenic KRAS from the plasma membrane, which in turn abolishes KRAS-G12V oncogenesis.

Jae Hyun Byun and Stella S. Daskalopoulou describe the study that identified lipoprotein(a) as a genetically determined contributor to coronary artery disease.

Neomycin toxicity in eukaryotic cells stems from its binding to phosphoinositides, primarily confined to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. New research reveals a complex lipid-trafficking pathway that exposes phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate on the cell surface and identifies Neo1 as a flippase that limits this exposure.