Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Use of Arabidopsis eceriferum Mutants to Explore Plant Cuticle Biosynthesis
Published on: June 1, 2008
Detailed composition of wax esters in mouse sebum and the involvement of FAR2 and AWAT2
Karin Kuribayashi1, Keisuke Jojima1, Moe Yamamoto1
1Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan.
Abstract:
Wax esters (WEs) are lipids characteristic of sebaceous glands and are classified into wax monoesters (WmEs) and wax diesters (WdiEs). Here, we analyzed WEs in mouse sebum via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to characterize their composition and structural diversity. We found that mouse sebum contained type 2α and type 2ω WdiEs and revealed the detailed species composition of these WdiEs together with WmEs. In knockout mice of the acyl-CoA reductase Far2, the quantities of WEs with very-long-chain fatty alcohols were reduced relative to wild-type mice. In knockout mice of the acyl-CoA wax alcohol acyltransferase Awat2, the quantities of many WmEs and type 2ω WdiEs containing long-chain fatty acids were decreased. Sebum WEs were substantially more diverse than meibum WEs. These findings reveal that mouse sebum contains WEs comprising a variety of fatty acids and fatty alcohols and provide clues to the molecular mechanism of their production.
Related Concept Videos
Lipids as Anchors
The carboxy-terminal of most of the prenylated proteins, such as Ras proteins, contains the...
Protein Modifications in the RER
Broadly, these modifications can be categorized into four main categories — glycosylation, formation of disulfide bonds, assembly of protein subunits, and specific proteolytic cleavages like removal of signal sequences.
Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Overview
Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Saponification
The reaction requires a base in stoichiometric amounts, which participates in the reaction and is not regenerated later. So, the base acts as a...
Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Acid-Catalyzed Hydrolysis
During hydrolysis, the ester is first activated towards nucleophilic attack through the protonation of the carboxyl oxygen atom by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the ester carbonyl carbon more electrophilic. In the next step, water acts as a nucleophile and adds to the...
Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Mechanism

