LION-web

LION-web performs ontology-based enrichment of lipidomic datasets using the LION (Lipid Information Ontology) to associate over 50,000 lipid species with biophysical, chemical, and cell biological features.

Key Features:

• Ontology-based enrichment: LION-web leverages enrichment algorithms to identify and associate lipid-associated terms within lipidomic datasets.
• Comprehensive lipid mapping: The LION ontology maps over 50,000 lipid species to biophysical, chemical, and cell biological attributes.
• Validation on subcellular fractions: Application to RAW 264.7 macrophage subcellular fractions demonstrated enrichment of terms such as "plasma membrane" and "glycerophosphoserines".
• Functional phenotype recapitulation: Analysis of Chinese hamster ovary cells treated with arachidonic acid identified enrichment of "above average lateral diffusion" and "below average transition temperature," consistent with pyrene decanoic acid measurements of increased membrane fluidity.

Scientific Applications:

• Membrane biophysics: Associate lipid species with membrane properties such as lateral diffusion and transition temperature to study membrane dynamics and fluidity.
• Subcellular localization analysis: Link lipid profiles to cellular compartments (for example, plasma membrane) to interpret subcellular lipid distributions.
• Lipid function and disease studies: Provide structured associations between lipid species and biochemical/biophysical features to inform signaling pathway and disease mechanism investigations.

Methodology:

Integration of the LION lipid ontology that categorizes lipid species by biophysical, chemical, and biological attributes, combined with enrichment algorithms to identify significant lipid-associated terms within datasets.