TY - JOUR
T1 - A nutrient sensor mechanism controls Drosophila growth
AU - Colombani, Julien
AU - Raisin, Sophie
AU - Pantalacci, Sophie
AU - Radimerski, Thomas
AU - Montagne, Jacques
AU - Léopold, Pierre
PY - 2003/9/19
Y1 - 2003/9/19
N2 - Organisms modulate their growth according to nutrient availability. Although individual cells in a multicellular animal may respond directly to nutrient levels, growth of the entire organism needs to be coordinated. Here, we provide evidence that in Drosophila, coordination of organismal growth originates from the fat body, an insect organ that retains endocrine and storage functions of the vertebrate liver. In a genetic screen for growth modifiers, we identified slimfast, a gene that encodes an amino acid transporter. Remarkably, downregulation of slimfast specifically within the fat body causes a global growth defect similar to that seen in Drosophila raised under poor nutritional conditions. This involves TSC/TOR signaling in the fat body, and a remote inhibition of organismal growth via local repression of PI3-kinase signaling in peripheral tissues. Our results demonstrate that the fat body functions as a nutrient sensor that restricts global growth through a humoral mechanism.
AB - Organisms modulate their growth according to nutrient availability. Although individual cells in a multicellular animal may respond directly to nutrient levels, growth of the entire organism needs to be coordinated. Here, we provide evidence that in Drosophila, coordination of organismal growth originates from the fat body, an insect organ that retains endocrine and storage functions of the vertebrate liver. In a genetic screen for growth modifiers, we identified slimfast, a gene that encodes an amino acid transporter. Remarkably, downregulation of slimfast specifically within the fat body causes a global growth defect similar to that seen in Drosophila raised under poor nutritional conditions. This involves TSC/TOR signaling in the fat body, and a remote inhibition of organismal growth via local repression of PI3-kinase signaling in peripheral tissues. Our results demonstrate that the fat body functions as a nutrient sensor that restricts global growth through a humoral mechanism.
KW - Amino Acid Transport Systems/deficiency
KW - Amino Acids/deficiency
KW - Animals
KW - Down-Regulation/physiology
KW - Drosophila Proteins/deficiency
KW - Drosophila melanogaster/cytology
KW - Fat Body/metabolism
KW - Feedback, Physiological/genetics
KW - Food Deprivation/physiology
KW - Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/genetics
KW - Juvenile Hormones/deficiency
KW - Nutritional Physiological Phenomena/physiology
KW - Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism
KW - Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism
KW - Signal Transduction/physiology
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 14505573
SN - 0092-8674
VL - 114
SP - 739
EP - 749
JO - Cell
JF - Cell
IS - 6
ER -