Organelle Autophagy Schematic (IMAGE)

DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory

Organelle Autophagy Schematic

Caption

By radiolabeling precursor chemicals plants use to make fatty acids and tracking where the labeled fatty acids went over time, Brookhaven Lab scientists discovered a key role for autophagy in oil biosynthesis. The labeled fatty acids were first incorporated into the membranes of organelles, then released by autophagy when those membranes were broken down. Only then were the fatty acids assembled into oils for storage in lipid droplets.

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Brookhaven National Laboratory

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