International Conference on Lipid Science & Technology November 29-30, 2015 San Francisco, USA

Lipid rafts/caveolae flask-shaped structures are rich in proteins as well as lipids such as cholesterol and sphingolipids and have several functions in signal transduction. They play a role in cancer cells development, endocytosis and the uptake of pathogenic bacteria and certain viruses. Studies that have helped to elucidate the role of lipid rafts in signaling via receptor tyrosine kinases and G protein-coupled receptors.The inositol phospholipids form the structural basis for a complex interplay of signaling responses generated, most commonly, by receptor activation and resulting in changes in Ca +2 , protein kinase cascades, and ion channel/exchanger activity. Phosphatidylinositol (PI) itself is a minor phospholipid constituent of all eukaryote plasma membranes. Though the plasma membrane may contain microdomains with a variety of different lipid compositions, cholesterol and sphingolipid rich microdomains, named lipid rafts, have been the most intensely scrutinized. Rafts are postulated to regulate protein–protein interactions by laterally segregating proteins according to their affinity for ordered membrane domains. New efforts have to develop and test alternative hypotheses for lipid-mediated biological function are critical to advancing our understanding of plasma membrane domains and their roles in cellular function. Cholesterol is an amphipathic molecule like phospholipid moiety. It contains a hydrophobic end and a hydrophilic end. Despite its small mass, cholesterol plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the membrane and is also involved with cell to cell signalling process.

Lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs) regulate cell signaling by modifying the concentrations of lipid phosphates versus their dephosphorylated metabolic intermediates. The ecto-activity regulates the availability of extracellular lysophosphatidate (LPA)and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and thereby signaling by their respective receptors. The isoforms of LPPs show distinct and non-redundant effects in several physiological and pathological processes including embryo development, tumor progression and vascular function. The extremely low aqueous solubility of long chain fatty acids (LCFA) together with the very high affinity of serum albumin and cytoplasmic fatty acid binding proteins for LCFA have challenged the limits of technology in resolving the individual steps of the process. Bioactive lipids, such as eicosanoids, endocannabinoids andlysophospholipids are endogenous signaling molecules with wide spectrum of pathophysiological functions in regulating cellular activities. Lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs) dephosphorylate a variety of phosphorylated lipid substrates and are regarded as negative regulators of these signaling cascades. Myristate, palmitate, farnesyl and geranylgeranyl products, are more than just fat, they provide straight information that modulates the specificity and efficiency of signal transduction. Recent studies describes that lipid modification influences the movement of a signaling protein within the cell and its final destination.Protein lipidation can confer reversible association with membranes and other signaling proteins. It would be most important for the discoveries of disease biomarkers and the screening of new drug targets. Nonvesicular transport could occur by transport of lipid monomers through the cytosol or by transfer of lipids at regions of close apposition between cell membranes. Several lipid transfer proteins and mutants defective in lipid transport have been identified and isolated, the precise roles of proteins in net transport and sorting of lipids remain unclear. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) modulate diverse physiological and behavioral signaling pathways by virtue of changes in receptor activation and inactivation states. This role is nowhere more evident than in cardiovascular biology, where GPCRs regulate such core measures of cardiovascular function as heart rate, contractility, and vascular tone.

An analysis of the structures provides a framework within which to analyze the nature of lipid-protein interactions within membranes. An individual lipid molecule will remain in the annular shell around a protein for only a short period of time. Binding to the annular shell shows relatively little structural specificity. As well as the annular lipid, there is evidence for other lipid molecules bound between the transmembrane alpha-helices of the protein; these lipids are referred to as non-annular lipids.Voltage-gated channels are key transducers of membrane potential changes into intracellular transients that initiate many physiological events.  The conformational change distorts the shape of the channel proteins sufficiently such that the cavity, or channel, opens to admit ion influx or efflux to occur across the membrane, down its electrochemical gradient. Micelle is an aggregate of surfactant molecules dispersed in a liquid colloid. Micelles are important in many uses of surfactants for their capacity to solubilize water-insoluble compounds. Vesicles are model systems for biological cells and can be used for entrapping active compounds in their insides. Monolayer techniques were used to study the interactions of various lipids (cholesterol, lysophosphatidyl choline, phosphatidal ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline, sphingomyelin, stearic acid, and lipids extracted from plasma high density lipoproteins and very low density lipoprotein) with the lipid-free protein subunit of rat plasma high density lipoprotein and with plasma albumin. Breakthroughs in membrane protein research has been rather slow in the past due to technical difficulties in crystallizing membrane proteins and lack of appropriate techniques to monitor lipid-protein interactions in situ in natural membranes. Lipid microarrays will provide an integrated knowledge base for thehuman lipidome.  Exogenous fat is transported in chylomicrons from the intestine to the liver. After entry in the blood stream the chylomicrons are hydrolyzed by the endothelial-bound lipoprotein lipase. The chylomicron remnants are rapidly taken up into the liver via the LDL receptor and the LDL receptor-related protein. Apolipoprotein E and lipoprotein lipase are the recognition signals for these receptors. The liver utilizes the exogenous fat and can release surplus lipids via VLDL into the blood. The VLDL is another substrate for lipoprotein lipase. The remaining VLDL remnants can either be taken up into the liver or are hydrolyzed to LDL. Both these forms of hyperlipoproteinaemias are the most frequent and represent major risk factors for arteriosclerosis.

Hyperlipoproteinemia is the lipid disturbance of major relevance clinically because of its association with an increased risk ofatherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Elevated plasma triglycerides and very-low-density lipoproteins are directly associated with the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease, although not as independent risk factors. In contrast, high levels ofhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol have been found to be a protective factor for the development of that disease, so that decreased levels constitute a risk factor. Atherosclerosis is characterized by vascular obstruction from the deposits of plaque, resulting in reduced blood flow. Plaque rupture and the consequent thrombosis may lead to sudden blockage of the arteries and cause heart attack. Plasma lipoproteins have traditionally been grouped into five major classes, based on their buoyant density:chylomicrons, very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Since lipids are not soluble in blood, they are transported as lipoproteins after reaction with water-soluble proteins in the blood. Lipids in the blood are absorbed by liver cells to provide energy for cellular functions. Excess lipids in the blood are eventually converted into adipose tissue. Abnormally high levels of triglycerides andcholesterol are thought to be involved in hardening of the arteries. In nondiabetic persons of normal weight, administration ofinsulin leads to an increase in glucose up- take by insulin-sensitive tissues, inhibition of lipolysis, and a decrease in serum levels of free fatty acids. However, in insulin-resistant states accompanied by hyperinsulinemia, such as occur in obesity andtype II diabetes, there is resistance to results in increased fat breakdown and increased serum levels of free fatty acids and glycerol. The increased glycerol resulting from lipolysis tends to drive gluconeogenesis by mass effect, thereby leading to increased glucose production by the liver, further contributing to hyperglycemia. Lipid storage diseases are a group of inherited metabolic disorders in which harmful amounts of fatty materials (lipids) accumulate in various tissues and cells in the body. Lipid storage diseases are inherited from one or both parents who carry a defective gene.

The quality of fat is generally specified by the relative content of SFA, monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) including the proportion or amount of essential fatty acids, that is, linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA),as well as the proportion or amount of long-chain n-3 fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA), that is, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Coronary heart disease is recognized to be the cause of death for 80% of people with diabetes.Diabetes is treatable, but even when glucose levels are under control it greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure has long been recognized as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has been strongly associated with insulin resistance. Physical inactivity is another modifiable major risk factor for insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Fish, plant, and nut oils are the primary dietary source ofomega-3 fatty acids. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, tuna, and herring. Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids has declined by 80% during the last 100 years, while intake of omega-6 fatty acids has greatly increased. Omega-3 fatty acids are cardioprotective mainly due to beneficial effects on arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, inflammation, and thrombosis. Development of novel therapies is ongoing and includes the following  reduction of LDL-C concentrations using antibodies to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9, antisense oligonucleotide inhibitors of apolipoprotein B production, microsomal transfer protein (MTP) inhibitors, and acyl-coenzyme A cholesterol acyl transferase inhibitors and increase of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, HDL particle numbers, and/or HDL functionality using cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitors, HDL-derived agents,apolipoprotein AI mimetic peptides, and microRNAs. There is a significant evidence–practice gap in the treatment of CHF; particularly the underuse of ACE inhibitors and β-blockers and aldosterone antagonists which have been shown to provide mortality benefit. These commonly involve surgical left ventricular remodeling. These procedures can be performed together with coronary artery bypass surgery or mitral valve repair. The latest dietary guidelines call for five to thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables a day (2½ to 6½ cups per day), depending on one’s caloric intake. Another constant threat comes from nasty chemicals called free radicals. They are capable of damaging cells and genetic material. The most familiar ones arevitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and other related carotenoids, along with the minerals selenium and manganese. Numerous clinical trials are underway testing a type of stem cell found in bone marrow, called mesenchymal stem cells or MSCs, to see if they are effective in treating the form of CHF that follows a heart attack. While those trials have shown some small improvements in patients the researchers have not found that the MSCs are creating replacement heart muscle.  Most of these involve looking for ways to create stem cells that can replace the damaged heart muscle, restoring the heart’s ability to efficiently pump blood around the body.

Today two-thirds of adults and nearly one-third of children struggle with overweight and obesity .If obesity rates stay consistent, by 2030, 51 percent of the population will be obese.Twenty years ago, no state had an obesity rate above 15 percent. Today there are 41 states with obesity rates over 25 percent, according to the Trust for American's Health. Since 1980, the rate of obesity in children and adolescents has almost tripled.72% of older men and 67% of older women are now overweight or obese. Obesity is linked to more than 60 chronic diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, 572,000 Americans die of cancer each year, about one-third of these cancer deaths are linked to excess body weight, poor nutrition and/or physical inactivity. Over 75 percent of hypertension cases are directly linked to obesity. Approximately two-thirds of U.S. adults with type 2 diabetes are overweight or have obesity.

Oxidation of polyunsaturated lipids by a definite portion of UV light leads to a modification of the plant lipids. This modification renders them strong inducers of heme oxygenase expression and synthesis of glutathione, the most importantcellular antioxidant. Activated lipid extracts from plants induce intrinsic antioxidant and detoxification pathways of skin cells.  Most healthy people can eat ALA from plant sources like chia and flaxseeds, and it will be transformed into EPA and DHA. Only seven to 15 percent of the dietary ALA may be converted to EPA. Much less is converted to DHA. And this is in a healthy young person. Soybean, canola, wheat germ and walnut oil all have a decent amount of omega-3's, but much higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids - and this ratio of omega-3's to omega-6's is important. Health experts recommend an omega-6/omega-3 ratio of about 4:1.

Natural Food Colors find their use in food for enhancing the appearance and the appeal of processed food preparations. All Natural Food Colors are Kosher certified. Plant Lipids range of natural food colors include the red from paprika fruits, yellow from turmeric roots, orange red of annatto seeds, yellow-orange from marigold flowers and green from leaves. Essential oils are volatile and liquid aroma compounds from natural sources, usually plants. Essential oils are not oils in a strict sense, but often share with oils a poor solubility in water. Essential oils often have an odor and are therefore used in food flavoring and perfumery. Essential oils are distinguished from aroma oils (essential oils and aroma compounds in an oily solvent), infusions in a vegetable oil, absolutes, and concretes. Typically, essential oils are highly complex mixtures of often hundreds of individual aroma compounds. Microbial lipids are potential candidates and resources for the sustainable production ofbiofuels and value-added bioproducts as an alternative route and replacement of petro-based hydrocarbons and chemicals. For example, endophytic oleaginous fungi with high lipid-accumulating capabilities can be isolated from oil-rich seeds and plants.  Functional-Spacer-Lipid (FSL) constructs can be synthesized to mimic the bioactive components present on biological surfaces, and then re-present them in novel ways. The architecture of an FSL construct is analogous to a flowering plant in that they have three structural components, with each component having a separate purpose. The functional group of an FSL is equivalent to a flower head, with both being at the extremity and carrying the functional components.

Global warming can be slowed, and perhaps reversed, only when society replaces fossil fuels with renewable, carbon-neutral alternatives. Several microorganism-based options have the potential to produce large amounts of renewable energy without disruptions. Microorganisms can convert almost all of the energy in these wastes to methane, hydrogen, and electricity. In a second approach, photosynthetic microorganisms convert sunlight into biodiesel. Certain algae (eukaryotes) or cyanobacteria(prokaryotes) have high lipid contents. Under proper conditions, these photosynthetic microorganisms can produce lipids for biodiesel with yields per unit area 100 times or more than possible with any plant system. Although single-cell oil (SCO) has been studied for decades, lipid production from lignocellulosic biomass has received substantial attention only in recent years as biofuel research moves toward producing drop-in fuels. This review gives an overview of the feasibility and challenges that exist in realizing microbial lipid production from lignocellulosic biomass in a bio refinery.  Algae biofuels may provide a viable alternative to fossil fuels; however, this technology must overcome a number of hurdles before it can compete in the fuel market and be broadly deployed. These challenges include strain identification and improvement, both in terms of oil productivity and crop protection, nutrient and resource allocation and use, and the production of co-products to improve the economics of the entire system. Although there is much excitement about the potential of algae biofuels, much work is still required in the field. Solid wastes from industrial, commercial and community activities are of growing concern as the total volume of waste produced continues to increase. The problems derived from the anaerobic digestion of sole substrates with high lipid, carbohydrate or protein content lead to the co-digestion of these substrates with another disposed waste, such as sewage sludge. Palm oil mill effluent (POME), a strong wastewater from palm oil mills, has been identified as a potential source to generate renewable bioenergies through anaerobic digestion. Lipids are one of the major organic pollutants in POME. Furthermore, waste lipids are ideal potential substrates for biogas production, since theoretically more methane can be produced, when compared with proteins or carbohydrates. The objective of this review paper is to discuss the microbial communities involved in the anaerobic degradation of long chain fatty acid and bioenergies and by-products from POME. With these options (Renewable and sustainable bioenergies) we can help phase out our dependency on fossil fuels and find clean, efficient, sources of power.

Lipidomics has been greatly facilitated by recent advances in, and novel applications of, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI/MS. Lipidomic studies play an essential role in defining the biochemical mechanisms of lipid-related disease processes through identifying alterations in cellular lipid metabolism, trafficking and homeostasis. The two major platforms currently used for lipidomic analyses are HPLC-MS and shotgun lipidomics. Recent expansion in research in the field of lipidomics has been driven by the development of new mass spectrometric tools and protocols for the identification and quantification of molecular lipids in complex matrices. The application of electrospray ionization to crude lipid extracts without prior fractionation-the so-called shotgun approach-is one such example, as it has perhaps been more successfully applied in lipidomics than in any other Recent technological advances in MS and chromatography have greatly enhanced the developments and applications of metabolic profiling of diverse lipids in complex biological samples. Lipidomics not only provide insights into the specific functions of lipid species in health and disease, but will also identify potential biomarkers for establishing preventive or therapeutic programs for human disease. Research is performed in one of more of six themes: 1)Mapping neurodegenerative lipidomes in models  2) High-throughput screening of underlying signalling mechanisms key regulators of lipid function 3) Identifying lipid-protein and lipid-lipid interactions that alter organelle or protein / lipid target function; 4) Characterizing and validating circulating lipid biomarkers 5) Identifying natural products and their active compounds that act as lipid modulators 6) Representing and statistically validating lipidomic changes, disseminating and communicating large datasets, developing hybrid biomedical representations and statistical models of neurodegenerative disease and Simulating effect of lipid metabolism (computational modeling).