Systemic changes in cell size throughout the body of Drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulators

Abstract Along with different life strategies, organisms have evolved dramatic cellular composition differences. Understanding the molecular basis and fitness effects of these differences is key to elucidating the fundamental characteristics of life. TOR/insulin pathways are key regulators of cell s...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Valeriya Privalova, Anna Maria Labecka, Ewa Szlachcic, Anna Sikorska, Marcin Czarnoleski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34674-y
_version_ 1797827579946729472
author Valeriya Privalova
Anna Maria Labecka
Ewa Szlachcic
Anna Sikorska
Marcin Czarnoleski
author_facet Valeriya Privalova
Anna Maria Labecka
Ewa Szlachcic
Anna Sikorska
Marcin Czarnoleski
author_sort Valeriya Privalova
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Along with different life strategies, organisms have evolved dramatic cellular composition differences. Understanding the molecular basis and fitness effects of these differences is key to elucidating the fundamental characteristics of life. TOR/insulin pathways are key regulators of cell size, but whether their activity determines cell size in a systemic or tissue-specific manner awaits exploration. To that end, we measured cells in four tissues in genetically modified Drosophila melanogaster (rictor Δ2 and Mnt 1 ) and corresponding controls. While rictor Δ2 flies lacked the Rictor protein in TOR complex 2, downregulating the functions of this element in TOR/insulin pathways, Mnt 1 flies lacked the transcriptional regulator protein Mnt, weakening the suppression of downstream signalling from TOR/insulin pathways. rictor Δ2 flies had smaller epidermal (leg and wing) and ommatidial cells and Mnt 1 flies had larger cells in these tissues than the controls. Females had consistently larger cells than males in the three tissue types. In contrast, dorsal longitudinal flight muscle cells (measured only in males) were not altered by mutations. We suggest that mutations in cell cycle control pathways drive the evolution of systemic changes in cell size throughout the body, but additional mechanisms shape the cellular composition of some tissues independent of these mutations.
first_indexed 2024-04-09T12:50:35Z
format Article
id doaj.art-7fcec753147d4ca3a82c769a46b574d6
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2045-2322
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-09T12:50:35Z
publishDate 2023-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj.art-7fcec753147d4ca3a82c769a46b574d62023-05-14T11:13:51ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-05-0113111110.1038/s41598-023-34674-ySystemic changes in cell size throughout the body of Drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulatorsValeriya Privalova0Anna Maria Labecka1Ewa Szlachcic2Anna Sikorska3Marcin Czarnoleski4Life History Evolution Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian UniversityLife History Evolution Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian UniversityLife History Evolution Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian UniversityLife History Evolution Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian UniversityLife History Evolution Group, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian UniversityAbstract Along with different life strategies, organisms have evolved dramatic cellular composition differences. Understanding the molecular basis and fitness effects of these differences is key to elucidating the fundamental characteristics of life. TOR/insulin pathways are key regulators of cell size, but whether their activity determines cell size in a systemic or tissue-specific manner awaits exploration. To that end, we measured cells in four tissues in genetically modified Drosophila melanogaster (rictor Δ2 and Mnt 1 ) and corresponding controls. While rictor Δ2 flies lacked the Rictor protein in TOR complex 2, downregulating the functions of this element in TOR/insulin pathways, Mnt 1 flies lacked the transcriptional regulator protein Mnt, weakening the suppression of downstream signalling from TOR/insulin pathways. rictor Δ2 flies had smaller epidermal (leg and wing) and ommatidial cells and Mnt 1 flies had larger cells in these tissues than the controls. Females had consistently larger cells than males in the three tissue types. In contrast, dorsal longitudinal flight muscle cells (measured only in males) were not altered by mutations. We suggest that mutations in cell cycle control pathways drive the evolution of systemic changes in cell size throughout the body, but additional mechanisms shape the cellular composition of some tissues independent of these mutations.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34674-y
spellingShingle Valeriya Privalova
Anna Maria Labecka
Ewa Szlachcic
Anna Sikorska
Marcin Czarnoleski
Systemic changes in cell size throughout the body of Drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulators
Scientific Reports
title Systemic changes in cell size throughout the body of Drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulators
title_full Systemic changes in cell size throughout the body of Drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulators
title_fullStr Systemic changes in cell size throughout the body of Drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulators
title_full_unstemmed Systemic changes in cell size throughout the body of Drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulators
title_short Systemic changes in cell size throughout the body of Drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulators
title_sort systemic changes in cell size throughout the body of drosophila melanogaster associated with mutations in molecular cell cycle regulators
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34674-y
work_keys_str_mv AT valeriyaprivalova systemicchangesincellsizethroughoutthebodyofdrosophilamelanogasterassociatedwithmutationsinmolecularcellcycleregulators
AT annamarialabecka systemicchangesincellsizethroughoutthebodyofdrosophilamelanogasterassociatedwithmutationsinmolecularcellcycleregulators
AT ewaszlachcic systemicchangesincellsizethroughoutthebodyofdrosophilamelanogasterassociatedwithmutationsinmolecularcellcycleregulators
AT annasikorska systemicchangesincellsizethroughoutthebodyofdrosophilamelanogasterassociatedwithmutationsinmolecularcellcycleregulators
AT marcinczarnoleski systemicchangesincellsizethroughoutthebodyofdrosophilamelanogasterassociatedwithmutationsinmolecularcellcycleregulators