Figure 2.

Specific proteins accumulate on the oil body (OB) membrane surface, and oleosins prevent oil bodies from fusing with each other in seeds. A, Oil bodies bud off from the ER. B, Seed oil bodies contain three membrane proteins: oleosin, caleosin, and steroleosin. Oleosins are the most abundant oil body membrane protein. C, Oleosins function to inhibit oil body fusion. Oleosin deficiency causes oil body fusion (left), whereas high expression of oleosin prevents oil body fusion (right). TAG, Triacylglycerol; V, vacuole.