FEATURES

FAMILY

DESCRIPTION

Also known as CIDEC_HUMAN, CIDEC, FSP27. Lipid transferase specifically expressed in white adipose tissue, which promotes unilocular lipid droplet formation by mediating lipid droplet fusion (PubMed:18334488, PubMed:19843876, PubMed:20049731, PubMed:23399566, PubMed:30361435). Lipid droplet fusion promotes their enlargement, restricting lipolysis and favoring lipid storage (PubMed:18334488, PubMed:19843876, PubMed:20049731, PubMed:23399566). Localizes on the lipid droplet surface, at focal contact sites between lipid droplets, and mediates atypical lipid droplet fusion by undergoing liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and promoting directional net neutral lipid transfer from the smaller to larger lipid droplets (PubMed:18334488, PubMed:19843876, PubMed:20049731, PubMed:23399566). The transfer direction may be driven by the internal pressure difference between the contacting lipid droplet pair (PubMed:18334488, PubMed:19843876, PubMed:20049731, PubMed:23399566). Its role in neutral lipid transfer and lipid droplet enlargement is activated by the interaction with PLIN1 (PubMed:23399566). May also act as a CEBPB coactivator in the white adipose tissue to control the expression of a subset of CEBPB downstream target genes, including SOCS1, SOCS3, TGFB1, TGFBR1, ID2 and XDH (By similarity). When overexpressed in preadipocytes, induces apoptosis or increases cell susceptibility to apoptosis induced by serum deprivation or TGFB treatment (PubMed:12429024). Homodimer (By similarity). Homooligomer; undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) via its N-terminus, facilitating lipid droplet fusion, occurs at the lipid droplet contact sites (By similarity). Interacts with CIDEA (PubMed:19843876). Interacts with PLIN1 (PubMed:23399566). Interacts with NFAT5; this interaction is direct and retains NFAT5 in the cytoplasm (By similarity). Interacts with CEBPB (By similarity). Interacts with isoform CLSTN3beta of CLSTN3; inhibiting the lipid transferase activity of CIDEC (By similarity).

EXTERNAL LINKS

CIDEC

Lipid transferase CIDEC

CIDEC

Molecular Synopsis