Female-blase upregulation of insulin pathway activity mediates the sex difference in Drosophila body size plasticity
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Nutrient-dependent body size plasticity differs between the sexes in most species, including mammals. Previous work in Drosophila showed that body size plasticity was higher in females, yet the mechanisms underlying increased female body size plasticity remain unclear. Here, we discover that a protein-rich diet augments body size in females and not males because of a female-biased increase in activity of the conserved insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS). This sex-biased upregulation of IIS activity was triggered by a diet-induced increase in stunted mRNA in females, and required Drosophila insulin-like peptide 2, illuminating new sex-specific roles for these genes. Importantly, we show that sex determination gene transformer promotes the diet-induced increase in stunted mRNA via transcriptional coactivator Spargel to regulate the male-female difference in body size plasticity. Together, these findings provide vital insight into conserved mechanisms underlying the sex difference in nutrient-dependent body size plasticity.
Date Issued
2021-02-05
Date Acceptance
2021-01-11
Citation
eLife, 2021, 10, pp.1-36
ISSN
2050-084X
Publisher
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
Start Page
1
End Page
36
Journal / Book Title
eLife
Volume
10
Copyright Statement
© Millington et al.
This article is distributed under
the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use
and redistribution provided that
the original author and source are
credited.
This article is distributed under
the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use
and redistribution provided that
the original author and source are
credited.
License URL
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000618526800001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
787470
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Biology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics
GERMLINE STEM-CELLS
LIFE-SPAN EXTENSION
PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY
DIETARY RESTRICTION
PHOSPHOINOSITIDE 3-KINASE
METABOLIC-REGULATION
FRUITLESS ISOFORMS
GENDER-DIFFERENCES
TRANSFORMER GENE
OVARIOLE NUMBER
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN e58341
Date Publish Online
2021-01-15