Ebook: Life — As a Matter of Fat: The Emerging Science of Lipidomics

LIFE - as a Matter of Fat

Lipidomics is the science of the fats called lipids. Lipids are as important for life as proteins, sugars, and genes. The present book gives a multi-disciplinary perspective on the physics of life and the particular role played by lipids and the lipid-bilayer component of cell membranes. The book is aimed at undergraduate students and young research workers within physics, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, as well as pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. The emphasis is on the physical properties of lipid membranes seen as soft and molecularly structured interfaces. By combining and synthesizing insights obtained from a variety of recent studies, an attempt is made to clarify what membrane structure is and how it can be quantitatively described. Furthermore, it is shown how biological function mediated by membranes is controlled by lipid membrane structure and organization on length scales ranging from the size of the individual molecule, across molecular assemblies of proteins and lipid domains in the range of nanometers, to the size of whole cells. Applications of lipids in nano-technology and biomedicine are also described.

The Emerging Science of Lipidomics

We have just witnessed a scientific revolution at the end of the 20th century that took us through the genomics era with a focus on sequencing genes and mapping gene products. We are now in the middle of the proteomics era where the multitude of proteins that are encoded in the genes are identified and their functions are unveiled. In front of us we have a new era recognizing the role of lipids. The science of lipidomics is emerging. Lipidomics involves a quantitative experimental and theoretical study of, e.g. lipid and membrane self-assembly, lipid-protein interactions, lipid-gene interactions, and the biophysical properties of lipid structure, function, and dynamics.

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LIFE - as a Matter of Fat

Lipidomics is the science of the fats called lipids. Lipids are as important for life as proteins, sugars, and genes. The present book gives a multi-disciplinary perspective on the physics of life and the particular role played by lipids and the lipid-bilayer component of cell membranes. The book is aimed at undergraduate students and young research workers within physics, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, as well as pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. The emphasis is on the physical properties of lipid membranes seen as soft and molecularly structured interfaces. By combining and synthesizing insights obtained from a variety of recent studies, an attempt is made to clarify what membrane structure is and how it can be quantitatively described. Furthermore, it is shown how biological function mediated by membranes is controlled by lipid membrane structure and organization on length scales ranging from the size of the individual molecule, across molecular assemblies of proteins and lipid domains in the range of nanometers, to the size of whole cells. Applications of lipids in nano-technology and biomedicine are also described.

 The Emerging Science of Lipidomics

We have just witnessed a scientific revolution at the end of the 20th century that took us through the genomics era with a focus on sequencing genes and mapping gene products. We are now in the middle of the proteomics era where the multitude of proteins that are encoded in the genes are identified and their functions are unveiled. In front of us we have a new era recognizing the role of lipids. The science of lipidomics is emerging. Lipidomics involves a quantitative experimental and theoretical study of, e.g. lipid and membrane self-assembly, lipid-protein interactions, lipid-gene interactions, and the biophysical properties of lipid structure, function, and dynamics.

 

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LIFE - as a Matter of Fat

Lipidomics is the science of the fats called lipids. Lipids are as important for life as proteins, sugars, and genes. The present book gives a multi-disciplinary perspective on the physics of life and the particular role played by lipids and the lipid-bilayer component of cell membranes. The book is aimed at undergraduate students and young research workers within physics, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, as well as pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. The emphasis is on the physical properties of lipid membranes seen as soft and molecularly structured interfaces. By combining and synthesizing insights obtained from a variety of recent studies, an attempt is made to clarify what membrane structure is and how it can be quantitatively described. Furthermore, it is shown how biological function mediated by membranes is controlled by lipid membrane structure and organization on length scales ranging from the size of the individual molecule, across molecular assemblies of proteins and lipid domains in the range of nanometers, to the size of whole cells. Applications of lipids in nano-technology and biomedicine are also described.

 The Emerging Science of Lipidomics

We have just witnessed a scientific revolution at the end of the 20th century that took us through the genomics era with a focus on sequencing genes and mapping gene products. We are now in the middle of the proteomics era where the multitude of proteins that are encoded in the genes are identified and their functions are unveiled. In front of us we have a new era recognizing the role of lipids. The science of lipidomics is emerging. Lipidomics involves a quantitative experimental and theoretical study of, e.g. lipid and membrane self-assembly, lipid-protein interactions, lipid-gene interactions, and the biophysical properties of lipid structure, function, and dynamics.

 

Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XIII
Prologue: Lipidomics — A Science Beyond Stamp Collection....Pages 1-5
Life from Molecules....Pages 9-21
Head and Tail....Pages 23-31
Oil and Water....Pages 33-42
Lipids Speak the Language of Curvature....Pages 43-52
A Matter of Softness....Pages 53-62
Soft Shells Shape Up....Pages 63-71
Biological Membranes — Models and Fashion....Pages 73-78
Lipids in Bilayers — A Stressful Life....Pages 81-89
The More We Are Together....Pages 91-103
Lipids in Flatland....Pages 105-116
Social Lipids....Pages 117-128
Lively Lipids Provide for Function....Pages 129-136
Proteins at Lipid Mattresses....Pages 137-145
Cholesterol on the Scene....Pages 149-157
Lipids in Charge....Pages 159-172
Being Smart — A Fishy Matter of Fat....Pages 173-179
Liquor and Drugs — As a Matter of Fat....Pages 181-188
Lipid Eaters....Pages 189-195
Powerful and Strange Lipids at Work....Pages 197-207
Back Matter....Pages 225-276
Survival by Lipids....Pages 209-223

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LIFE - as a Matter of Fat

Lipidomics is the science of the fats called lipids. Lipids are as important for life as proteins, sugars, and genes. The present book gives a multi-disciplinary perspective on the physics of life and the particular role played by lipids and the lipid-bilayer component of cell membranes. The book is aimed at undergraduate students and young research workers within physics, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, as well as pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. The emphasis is on the physical properties of lipid membranes seen as soft and molecularly structured interfaces. By combining and synthesizing insights obtained from a variety of recent studies, an attempt is made to clarify what membrane structure is and how it can be quantitatively described. Furthermore, it is shown how biological function mediated by membranes is controlled by lipid membrane structure and organization on length scales ranging from the size of the individual molecule, across molecular assemblies of proteins and lipid domains in the range of nanometers, to the size of whole cells. Applications of lipids in nano-technology and biomedicine are also described.

 The Emerging Science of Lipidomics

We have just witnessed a scientific revolution at the end of the 20th century that took us through the genomics era with a focus on sequencing genes and mapping gene products. We are now in the middle of the proteomics era where the multitude of proteins that are encoded in the genes are identified and their functions are unveiled. In front of us we have a new era recognizing the role of lipids. The science of lipidomics is emerging. Lipidomics involves a quantitative experimental and theoretical study of, e.g. lipid and membrane self-assembly, lipid-protein interactions, lipid-gene interactions, and the biophysical properties of lipid structure, function, and dynamics.

 

Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XIII
Prologue: Lipidomics — A Science Beyond Stamp Collection....Pages 1-5
Life from Molecules....Pages 9-21
Head and Tail....Pages 23-31
Oil and Water....Pages 33-42
Lipids Speak the Language of Curvature....Pages 43-52
A Matter of Softness....Pages 53-62
Soft Shells Shape Up....Pages 63-71
Biological Membranes — Models and Fashion....Pages 73-78
Lipids in Bilayers — A Stressful Life....Pages 81-89
The More We Are Together....Pages 91-103
Lipids in Flatland....Pages 105-116
Social Lipids....Pages 117-128
Lively Lipids Provide for Function....Pages 129-136
Proteins at Lipid Mattresses....Pages 137-145
Cholesterol on the Scene....Pages 149-157
Lipids in Charge....Pages 159-172
Being Smart — A Fishy Matter of Fat....Pages 173-179
Liquor and Drugs — As a Matter of Fat....Pages 181-188
Lipid Eaters....Pages 189-195
Powerful and Strange Lipids at Work....Pages 197-207
Back Matter....Pages 225-276
Survival by Lipids....Pages 209-223
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