Control of Drosophila Growth and Survival by the Lipid Droplet-Associated Protein CG9186/Sturkopf

摘要

Lipid droplets (LDs) are the universal cellular storageorganelles for esterified neutral lipids. The increasingnumber of characterized LD-associated proteins attainedLDs with hitherto unexpected functions ontop of their classical role as energy depot. Here, wecharacterize the LD-associated protein CG9186 ofDrosophila by a CRISPR/Cas9-derived mutant flyline. While the mutant flies only showed a mild triacylglycerolstorage phenotype, they were highly protectedfrom desiccation stress, likely linked to areduced locomotor activity and altered cuticular hydrocarbons.Both parameters depend on juvenilehormone (JH) signaling. Together with an observedinteraction between CG9186 and JH-degrading enzymes,our results suggest that CG9186 participatesin endocrine physiology regulation. In support of thishypothesis, CG9186 mutant flies show an alteredexpression of JH target genes and fail to adjust theirdevelopmental rate to dietary yeast-to-sugar ratiochanges. Our results thus link LDs to organismicphysiology regulation.