Lipidomics Analyses Reveal Temporal and Spatial Lipid Organization and Uncover Daily Oscillations in Intracellular Organelles

Cells have evolved mechanisms to handle incompatible processes through temporal organization by circadian clocks and by spatial compartmentalization within organelles defined by lipid bilayers. Recent advances in lipidomics have led to identification of plentiful lipid species, yet our knowledge regarding their spatiotemporal organization is lagging behind. In this study, we quantitatively characterized the nuclear and mitochondrial lipidome in mouse liver throughout the day, upon different feeding regimens, and in clock-disrupted mice. Our analyses revealed potential connections between lipid species within and between lipid classes. Remarkably, we uncovered diurnal oscillations in lipid accumulation in the nucleus and mitochondria. These oscillations exhibited opposite phases and readily responded to feeding time. Furthermore, we found that the circadian clock coordinates the phase relation between the organelles. In summary, our study provides temporal and spatial depiction of lipid organization and reveals the presence and coordination of diurnal rhythmicity in intracellular organelles. Aviram et al. performed lipidomics analyses of organelles from mouse liver to explore temporal and spatial principles in lipid organization. They find that the lipid composition of the nucleus and mitochondria oscillates daily with distinct and opposite phases. These oscillations respond to feeding time and are coordinated by the circadian clock.