The dilatable membrane of oleosomes (lipid droplets) allows their in vitro resizing and triggered release of lipids

Abstract

It has been reported that lipid droplets (LDs), called oleosomes, have an inherent ability to inflate or shrink when absorbing or fueling lipids in the cells, showing that their phospholipid/protein membrane is dilatable. This property is not that common for membranes stabilizing oil droplets and when well understood, it could be exploited for the design of responsive and metastable droplets. To investigate the nature of the dilatable properties of the oleosomes, we extracted them from rapeseeds to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion. Initially, we added an excess of rapeseed oil in the dispersion and applied high-pressure homogenization, resulting in a stable oil-in-water emulsion, showing the ability of the molecules on the oleosome membrane to rearrange and reach a new equilibrium when more surface was available. To confirm the rearrangement of the phospholipids on the droplet surface, we used molecular dynamics simulations and showed that the fatty acids of the phospholipids are solubilized in the oil core and are homogeneously spread on the liquid-like membrane, avoiding clustering with neighbouring phospholipids. The weak lateral interactions on the oleosome membrane were also confirmed experimentally, using interfacial rheology. Finally, to investigate whether the weak lateral interactions on the oleosome membrane can be used to have a triggered change of conformation by an external force, we placed the oleosomes on a solid hydrophobic surface and found that they destabilise, allowing the oil to leak out, probably due to a reorganisation of the membrane phospholipids after their interaction with the hydrophobic surface. The weak lateral interactions on the LD membrane and their triggered destabilisation present a unique property that can be used for a targeted release in foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.