ACS Chemical Biology· 2026Q1
Chemical and Genetically Encoded Strategies for Spatiotemporal Control of Lipid Generation in Living Cells
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- 2026year
Short summary
New chemical and genetically encoded tools enable on-demand generation of specific lipids in living cells, overcoming historical limitations in studying lipid metabolism.
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Key points
- Developing methods for precise spatiotemporal control of lipid generation in living cells is crucial for understanding lipid metabolism's role in signaling.
- Three main strategies are discussed: light-triggered lipid production, orthogonal chemical release, and triggerable enzymatic generation (chemoenzymatic or genetic).
- Each platform has distinct strengths and weaknesses that influence their application.
- Future tool development will focus on refining these design strategies for enhanced control.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Mammalian cells synthesize thousands of distinct lipids, and lipid metabolism fundamentally influences signaling in both homeostatic and disease states. Despite considerable interest in the biological functions of diverse lipid species, direct study of their effects in biological systems has historically been limited by a lack of methods to modulate discrete lipid species with precise spatiotemporal control. Several efforts in lipid chemical biology focus on the development of technologies to generate individual lipid species with spatial and temporal control in living cells. Emerging strategies are enabling the on-demand generation of lipids in response to various stimuli. In this Perspective, we discuss three mechanistic approaches for controlled lipid generation: light-triggered production of lipids from modified precursors, orthogonal chemical release, and triggerable chemoenzymatic or genetically encoded enzymatic generation of lipids. We highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each platform, and we outline the design strategies that will shape the next generation of tools.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. ACS Chemical Biology, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Biochemistry (Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology)
BiochemistryBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology