lipid biosynthesis
Definition
Lipid biosynthesis is the metabolic process by which cells synthesize complex lipids from simpler precursor molecules, including fatty acids, glycerol, and acetyl-CoA. This anabolic pathway encompasses the production of diverse lipid classes such as phospholipids, triglycerides, cholesterol, and sphingolipids, which are essential for membrane structure, energy storage, and cell signaling. Key regulatory enzymes include acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and HMG-CoA reductase. Lipid biosynthesis is tightly regulated by transcription factors like SREBP and metabolic sensors such as AMPK, responding to cellular energy status and hormonal signals. Dysregulation of lipid biosynthesis is implicated in metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration, making it a critical target for therapeutic intervention.
Visualize lipid biosynthesis in Nodes Bio
Researchers can use Nodes Bio to map lipid biosynthesis networks by connecting metabolites, enzymes, and regulatory factors in integrated multi-omics visualizations. Network analysis reveals bottleneck enzymes, identifies feedback loops between lipid species and transcriptional regulators, and traces metabolic flux from precursors to end products. Users can overlay metabolomics data with gene expression and protein abundance to identify coordinated changes in lipid metabolism across experimental conditions or disease states.
Visualization Ideas:
- Metabolic pathway network showing substrate-to-product relationships in fatty acid, phospholipid, and sterol synthesis
- Enzyme-metabolite bipartite network highlighting rate-limiting steps and branch points in lipid biosynthesis
- Multi-layer network integrating transcription factors, biosynthetic enzymes, and lipid products to reveal regulatory hierarchies
Example Use Case
A pharmaceutical team investigating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) uses metabolomics to profile hepatocyte lipid composition under different dietary conditions. They identify elevated triglyceride and cholesterol ester levels alongside increased expression of SREBP1c and its target genes. By visualizing the lipid biosynthesis network in Nodes Bio, they discover that inhibiting DGAT2, a key triglyceride synthesis enzyme, reduces lipid accumulation without affecting essential phospholipid production. This network-based approach helps prioritize DGAT2 as a selective therapeutic target while predicting minimal disruption to membrane homeostasis.