Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
08:59
Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates
Published on: November 23, 2016
Reprogramming intracellular triacylglycerols in microorganisms.
Ying Luo1, Shen Pang1, Hahk-Soo Kang2
1State Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity and Innovative Utilization, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Trends in Biotechnology
|May 10, 2026
Summary
Triacylglycerol (TAG) metabolism is a dynamic carbon source in microbiology. Reprogramming TAG cycling can improve bioproduction of acetyl coenzyme A-derived compounds.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Metabolic Engineering
- Synthetic Biology
Background:
- Triacylglycerol (TAG) is traditionally viewed as a metabolic sink.
- Emerging evidence reveals TAG as a dynamic carbon reservoir.
- Understanding TAG metabolism is crucial for microbial bioproduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the paradigm shift in understanding TAG metabolism.
- To present strategies for reprogramming TAG cycling.
- To demonstrate harnessing TAG for precursor and energy replenishment in bioproduction.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of current research on TAG metabolism.
- Discussion of reprogramming strategies for TAG cycling.
- Analysis of TAG utilization for acetyl coenzyme A (CoA) precursor generation.
Main Results:
- TAG metabolism is a programmable carbon reservoir, not just a sink.
- Reprogramming TAG cycling offers a viable strategy for metabolic engineering.
- TAG can be effectively utilized to supply precursors and energy for bioproduction.
Conclusions:
- The dynamic nature of TAG metabolism opens new avenues in microbial engineering.
- Harnessing TAG cycling can enhance the efficiency of producing acetyl CoA-derived compounds.
- This reprogramming approach holds significant potential for industrial biotechnology.
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