Deletion of the acyltransferases responsible for triglyceride and steryl ester synthesis in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae serves as a genetic model of diseases where lipid overload is a
component. The yeast mutants lack detectable neutral lipids and cytoplasmic lipid droplets
and are strikingly sensitive to unsaturated fatty acids. Expression of human diacylglycerol
acyltransferase 2 in the yeast mutants was sufficient to reverse these phenotypes. Similar to
mammalian cells, fatty acid-mediated death in yeast is apoptotic and presaged by …