49
© Springer International Publishing AG 2017
M. Kumar, P. Ralph (eds.), Systems Biology of Marine Ecosystems,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-62094-7_4
Chapter 4
Seaweed Lipidomics in the Era of ‘Omics’
Biology: A Contemporary Perspective
Puja Kumari
Abstract Lipidomics, a branch of “omic” sciences, refers to the analysis of lipids
on the systems level together with their interacting factors including expression of
proteins involved in lipid metabolism and function and gene regulation. Seaweeds
are one of the important ecosystem drivers that inhabit an unique aquatic environment being exposed to a diverse range of environmental fluctuations (salinity, light,
desiccation, and temperature), pathogens, invasive species, and anthropogenic factors that affect their phenotype as well as acclimatory strategies. As a result of thriving in such diverse and extreme environments, they produce an array of unique
bioactive, complex, exotic acyl lipids and fatty acids that are not generally present
in terrestrial plants. Seaweeds have been extensively studied for their bioactive lipids mainly for their nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids, oxylipins,
and their pharmaceutical and biotechnological utilization. Most of the studies have
been limited to the elucidation of lipid and fatty acids composition, their metabolic
pathways, the genes and enzymes involved, as well as their roles in stress responses,
innate immunity, and defense against pathogens. Although lipidomics has been
extensively used in terrestrial plants and even microalgae to unravel their lipidome,
functional annotation of unknown genes involved in lipid metabolism, correlation
of genotype-phenotype, and understanding of the pleiotropic roles of lipids in cell
development and biotic/abiotic stresses, only a few seaweeds have been studied
with lipidomic approach. This chapter presents updated information on lipidomics,
advanced analytical tools and techniques, and their applicability in seaweed studies
along with its limitations. Further, an overview of how integrating lipidomics with
allied sister branches of metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics can help in
the identification of unknown gene/protein functions and development of systems
biology networks advancing our knowledge of lipid biochemistry in seaweed development and acclimation to stress conditions are discussed.
Keywords Seaweeds • Lipids • Lipidomics • Systems biology • Oxylipins • Stress
P. Kumari (*)
Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Centre,
HaMaccabim, Road, P.O.B 15159, Rishon LeTsiyon 7528809, Israel
e-mail: pujamashal@gmail.com
© Springer International Publishing AG 2017
M. Kumar, P. Ralph (eds.), Systems Biology of Marine Ecosystems,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-62094-7_4
Chapter 4
Seaweed Lipidomics in the Era of ‘Omics’
Biology: A Contemporary Perspective
Puja Kumari
Abstract Lipidomics, a branch of “omic” sciences, refers to the analysis of lipids
on the systems level together with their interacting factors including expression of
proteins involved in lipid metabolism and function and gene regulation. Seaweeds
are one of the important ecosystem drivers that inhabit an unique aquatic environment being exposed to a diverse range of environmental fluctuations (salinity, light,
desiccation, and temperature), pathogens, invasive species, and anthropogenic factors that affect their phenotype as well as acclimatory strategies. As a result of thriving in such diverse and extreme environments, they produce an array of unique
bioactive, complex, exotic acyl lipids and fatty acids that are not generally present
in terrestrial plants. Seaweeds have been extensively studied for their bioactive lipids mainly for their nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids, oxylipins,
and their pharmaceutical and biotechnological utilization. Most of the studies have
been limited to the elucidation of lipid and fatty acids composition, their metabolic
pathways, the genes and enzymes involved, as well as their roles in stress responses,
innate immunity, and defense against pathogens. Although lipidomics has been
extensively used in terrestrial plants and even microalgae to unravel their lipidome,
functional annotation of unknown genes involved in lipid metabolism, correlation
of genotype-phenotype, and understanding of the pleiotropic roles of lipids in cell
development and biotic/abiotic stresses, only a few seaweeds have been studied
with lipidomic approach. This chapter presents updated information on lipidomics,
advanced analytical tools and techniques, and their applicability in seaweed studies
along with its limitations. Further, an overview of how integrating lipidomics with
allied sister branches of metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics can help in
the identification of unknown gene/protein functions and development of systems
biology networks advancing our knowledge of lipid biochemistry in seaweed development and acclimation to stress conditions are discussed.
Keywords Seaweeds • Lipids • Lipidomics • Systems biology • Oxylipins • Stress
P. Kumari (*)
Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Centre,
HaMaccabim, Road, P.O.B 15159, Rishon LeTsiyon 7528809, Israel
e-mail: pujamashal@gmail.com