InterPro domain: IPR000136

Oleosins [ 1 ] are the proteinaceous components of plants' lipid storage bodiescalled oil bodies. Oil bodies are small droplets (0.2 to 1.5 mu-m in diameter)containing mostly triacylglycerol that are surrounded by a phospholipid/oleosin annulus. Oleosins may have a structural role in stabilising the lipidbody during dessication of the seed, by preventing coalescence of the oil.They may also provide recognition signals for specific lipase anchorage inlipolysis during seedling growth. Oleosins are found in the monolayer lipid/water interface of oil bodies and probably interact with both the lipid andphospholipid moieties.Oleosins are proteins of 16 Kd to 24 Kd and are composed of three domains: anN-terminal hydrophilic region of variable length (from 30 to 60 residues); acentral hydrophobic domain of about 70 residues and a C-terminal amphipathicregion of variable length (from 60 to 100 residues). The central hydrophobicdomain is proposed to be made up of beta-strand structure and to interact withthe lipids [ 2 ]. It is the only domain whose sequenceis conserved.

1. A class of amphipathic proteins associated with lipid storage bodies in plants. Possible similarities with animal serum apolipoproteins. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1088, 86-94
2. Characterization of the charged components and their topology on the surface of plant seed oil bodies. J. Biol. Chem. 267, 15626-34