An intestinal zinc sensor regulates food intake and developmental growth

Unveiling the Origin of Copper Accumulation in Plasma with Aging

Aging is intricately linked to various diseases including cancers, neurodegenerative disorders, and metabolic irregularities. Copper (Cu) overexposure has been found to be linked to many diseases during aging, particularly neurodegenerative diseases. Meanwhile, as an essential element, Cu has been implicated in key processes associated with aging, raising questions about its role in age-related health issues. This study delves into the mechanisms behind the copper imbalance during aging. By analyzing blood copper concentrations of healthy individuals (including data from healthy subjects (26 ≤ age ≤ 90, n = 62) and publicly available data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (18 ≤ age < 80, n = 1624)) and employing C57BL/6N male mice models (n = 22), we reveal a consistent age-related increase in copper levels, particularly in plasma. Utilizing stable copper isotopic analysis, copper-associated protein analysis, and metabolomic analysis, we trace the sources of Cu imbalance associated with aging. Our findings reveal that aged mice had a higher copper concentrations and an enrichment of light copper isotope (63Cu) in plasma compared to controls. Additionally, copper reductases and copper transporters are upregulated in the intestine tract, associated with the AMPK and mTOR signaling pathways. We suggest that aged mice have an abnormally high copper intake requirement, probably due to deregulated nutrient sensing, leading to increased expression levels of copper reductases and copper transporters for extra copper absorption in the intestines. This research provides a copper-centric perspective on the connection between deregulated nutrient sensing and aging, thus shedding light on the aspect of aging and copper overexposure.

Significance of zinc re-absorption in Zn dynamic regulation in marine fish revealed by pharmacokinetic model

Zinc (Zn) is an essential but toxic trace element and is widely available in the natural environment. In the present study, we developed a re-absorption physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model based on long-term dietary exposure to gain insights into the physiological mechanisms of uptake, tissue distribution, storage, and excretion of Zn in marine juvenile gilt-head breams Sparus aurata (with stomach). The PBPK model incorporated the kinetic processes of Zn transfer from fish liver to gastrointestinal system and used the Markov Monte Carlo algorithm to estimate the distribution of model parameters. The model fit indicated that the stomach and intestine of fish were key organs in regulating the concentration of Zn entering the internal environment, with excess exogenous Zn (120 mg/kg) being excreted in feces (rate constant of 5.23 d-1). Modeling results also indicated that liver (3.00 d-1), spleen (1.41 d-1) and kidney (0.51 d-1) were the main tissues responding to blood Zn flux by accumulation and detoxification. Fish kidneys exposed to 60 mg/kg and 120 mg/kg Zn had different regenerative capacities, resulting in different detoxification functions. A higher dietary Zn (120 mg/kg) disrupted the intestinal reabsorption process in marine fish. This study showed that exogenous Zn was directly accumulated in organs through the gastrointestinal-hepatic system, which is an important pathways for regulating metal homeostasis in marine fish. The results provided important understanding of the mechanisms of metal regulation and transport in marine fish.

Identification and pharmacological characterization of pH-sensitive chloride channels in the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda

The pH-sensitive chloride channels (pHCls) are unique to invertebrates and play crucial roles in fluid regulation, food selection, and intake. In this study, we identified and isolated two cDNAs encoding the SfpHCl1 and SfpHCl2 subunits from the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. Both subunits exhibited similar expression patterns. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, SfpHCl1 and SfpHCl2 formed functional chloride channels with reversal potentials indicative of chloride selectivity. Shifts in extracellular pH from acidic to alkaline conditions induced inward currents in both SfpHCl1 and SfpHCl2, with EC50 values of pH 8.24 and 8.49, respectively. Zinc ions (Zn2⁺) and the insecticide emamectin benzoate (EB) also activated concentration-dependent inward currents in these channels, whether expressed individually or co-expressed. Notably, SfpHCl1 and SfpHCl2 channels exhibited significant differences in their activation and deactivation time constants. These findings elucidate the biophysical and pharmacological characteristics of pH-sensitive, zinc-gated chloride channels, which, being exclusive to invertebrates, present a promising target for the development of highly specific insecticides.

Drosophila HNF4 acts in distinct tissues to direct a switch between lipid storage and export in the gut

Nutrient digestion, absorption, and export must be coordinated in the gut to meet the nutritional needs of the organism. We used the Drosophila intestine to characterize the mechanisms that coordinate the fate of dietary lipids. We identified enterocytes specialized in absorbing and exporting lipids to peripheral organs. Distinct hepatocyte-like cells, called oenocytes, communicate with these enterocytes to adjust intestinal lipid storage and export. A single transcription factor, Drosophila hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (dHNF4), supports this gut-liver axis. In enterocytes, dHNF4 maximizes dietary lipid export by preventing their sequestration in cytoplasmic lipid droplets. In oenocytes, dHNF4 promotes the expression of the insulin antagonist ImpL2 to activate Foxo and suppress lipid retention in enterocytes. Disruption of this switch between lipid storage and export is associated with intestinal inflammation, suggesting a lipidic origin for inflammatory bowel diseases. These studies establish dHNF4 as a central regulator of intestinal metabolism and inter-organ lipid trafficking.

Protective effects of sodium humate and its zinc and selenium chelate on the oxidative stress, inflammatory, and intestinal barrier damage of Salmonella Typhimurium-challenged broiler chickens

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of dietary administration of sodium humate (HNa) and its zinc and selenium chelate (Zn/Se-HNa) in mitigating Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhi) induced intestinal injury in broiler chickens. Following the gavage of 109 CFU S. Typhi to 240 broilers from 21-d to 23-d aged, various growth performance parameters such as body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed ratio (FCR) were measured before and after infection. Intestinal morphology was assessed to determine the villus height, crypt depth, and chorionic cryptologic ratio. To evaluate intestinal barrier integrity, levels of serum diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid, tight junction proteins, and the related genes were measured in each group of broilers. An analysis was conducted on inflammatory-related cytokines, oxidase activity, and Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) and Nuclear factor erythroid2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway-related proteins and mRNA expression. The results revealed a significant decrease in BW, ADG, and FCR in S. typhi-infected broilers. HNa tended to increase FCR (P = 0.056) while the supplementation of Zn/Se-HNa significantly restored BW and ADG (P < 0.05). HNa and Zn/Se-HNa exhibit favorable and comparable effects in enhancing the levels of serum DAO, D-lactate, and mRNA and protein expression of jejunum and ileal tight junction. In comparison to HNa, Zn/Se-HNa demonstrates a greater reduction in S. Typhi shedding in feces, as well as superior efficacy in enhancing the intestinal morphology, increasing serum catalase (CAT) activity, inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines, and suppressing the activation of the NF-κB pathway. Collectively, Zn/Se-HNa was a more effective treatment than HNa to alleviate adverse impact of S. Typhi infection in broiler chickens.

Kalium channelrhodopsins effectively inhibit neurons

The analysis of neural circuits has been revolutionized by optogenetic methods. Light-gated chloride-conducting anion channelrhodopsins (ACRs)-recently emerged as powerful neuron inhibitors. For cells or sub-neuronal compartments with high intracellular chloride concentrations, however, a chloride conductance can have instead an activating effect. The recently discovered light-gated, potassium-conducting, kalium channelrhodopsins (KCRs) might serve as an alternative in these situations, with potentially broad application. As yet, KCRs have not been shown to confer potent inhibitory effects in small genetically tractable animals. Here, we evaluated the utility of KCRs to suppress behavior and inhibit neural activity in Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, and zebrafish. In direct comparisons with ACR1, a KCR1 variant with enhanced plasma-membrane trafficking displayed comparable potency, but with improved properties that include reduced toxicity and superior efficacy in putative high-chloride cells. This comparative analysis of behavioral inhibition between chloride- and potassium-selective silencing tools establishes KCRs as next-generation optogenetic inhibitors for in vivo circuit analysis in behaving animals.

Refinement of a technique for collecting and evaluating the osmolality of haemolymph from Drosophila larvae

Ex vivo physiological experiments using small insect models such as Drosophila larvae have become increasingly useful to address fundamental biological questions. To perform such experiments, various artificial saline solutions have been developed, but their osmolality varies significantly from one to the next. Such a variation of osmolality stems, in part, from the difficulty of determining the true value of haemolymph osmolality in Drosophila larvae. Thus, there is a pressing need to refine protocols for collecting and measuring the osmolality of the larval haemolymph. Two major obstacles are thought to impede the accurate analysis of haemolymph collected from small insects: melanin formation and gut-derived contamination. Here, we greatly refined existing haemolymph collection methods, evaluated the purity of the collected haemolymph under melanin-free conditions, and concluded that the true value of haemolymph osmolality is close to 306.0 mOsm kg-1 in Drosophila larvae.

Lysosomes as coordinators of cellular catabolism, metabolic signalling and organ physiology

Every cell must satisfy basic requirements for nutrient sensing, utilization and recycling through macromolecular breakdown to coordinate programmes for growth, repair and stress adaptation. The lysosome orchestrates these key functions through the synchronised interplay between hydrolytic enzymes, nutrient transporters and signalling factors, which together enable metabolic coordination with other organelles and regulation of specific gene expression programmes. In this Review, we discuss recent findings on lysosome-dependent signalling pathways, focusing on how the lysosome senses nutrient availability through its physical and functional association with mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and how, in response, the microphthalmia/transcription factor E (MiT/TFE) transcription factors exert feedback regulation on lysosome biogenesis. We also highlight the emerging interactions of lysosomes with other organelles, which contribute to cellular homeostasis. Lastly, we discuss how lysosome dysfunction contributes to diverse disease pathologies and how inherited mutations that compromise lysosomal hydrolysis, transport or signalling components lead to multi-organ disorders with severe metabolic and neurological impact. A deeper comprehension of lysosomal composition and function, at both the cellular and organismal level, may uncover fundamental insights into human physiology and disease.

Blood-feeding adaptations and virome assessment of the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae guided by RNA-seq

Dermanyssus gallinae is a blood-feeding mite that parasitises wild birds and farmed poultry. Its remarkably swift processing of blood, together with the capacity to blood-feed during most developmental stages, makes this mite a highly debilitating pest. To identify specific adaptations to digestion of a haemoglobin-rich diet, we constructed and compared transcriptomes from starved and blood-fed stages of the parasite and identified midgut-enriched transcripts. We noted that midgut transcripts encoding cysteine proteases were upregulated with a blood meal. Mapping the full proteolytic apparatus, we noted a reduction in the suite of cysteine proteases, missing homologues for Cathepsin B and C. We have further identified and phylogenetically analysed three distinct transcripts encoding vitellogenins that facilitate the reproductive capacity of the mites. We also fully mapped transcripts for haem biosynthesis and the ferritin-based system of iron storage and inter-tissue trafficking. Additionally, we identified transcripts encoding proteins implicated in immune signalling (Toll and IMD pathways) and activity (defensins and thioester-containing proteins), RNAi, and ion channelling (with targets for commercial acaricides such as Fluralaner, Fipronil, and Ivermectin). Viral sequences were filtered from the Illumina reads and we described, in part, the RNA-virome of D. gallinae with identification of a novel virus, Red mite quaranjavirus 1.

Alkaline taste sensation through the alkaliphile chloride channel in Drosophila

The sense of taste is an important sentinel governing what should or should not be ingested by an animal, with high pH sensation playing a critical role in food selection. Here we explore the molecular identities of taste receptors detecting the basic pH of food using Drosophila melanogaster as a model. We identify a chloride channel named alkaliphile (Alka), which is both necessary and sufficient for aversive taste responses to basic food. Alka forms a high-pH-gated chloride channel and is specifically expressed in a subset of gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs). Optogenetic activation of alka-expressing GRNs is sufficient to suppress attractive feeding responses to sucrose. Conversely, inactivation of these GRNs causes severe impairments in the aversion to high pH. Altogether, our discovery of Alka as an alkaline taste receptor lays the groundwork for future research on alkaline taste sensation in other animals.

Interorgan communication through peripherally derived peptide hormones in Drosophila

In multicellular organisms, endocrine factors such as hormones and cytokines regulate development and homoeostasis through communication between different organs. For understanding such interorgan communications through endocrine factors, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster serves as an excellent model system due to conservation of essential endocrine systems between flies and mammals and availability of powerful genetic tools. In Drosophila and other insects, functions of neuropeptides or peptide hormones from the central nervous system have been extensively studied. However, a series of recent studies conducted in Drosophila revealed that peptide hormones derived from peripheral tissues also play critical roles in regulating multiple biological processes, including growth, metabolism, reproduction, and behaviour. Here, we summarise recent advances in understanding target organs/tissues and functions of peripherally derived peptide hormones in Drosophila and describe how these hormones contribute to various biological events through interorgan communications.

Intestinal plasticity and metabolism as regulators of organismal energy homeostasis

The small intestine displays marked anatomical and functional plasticity that includes adaptive alterations in adult gut morphology, enteroendocrine cell profile and their hormone secretion, as well as nutrient utilization and storage. In this Perspective, we examine how shifts in dietary and environmental conditions bring about changes in gut size, and describe how the intestine adapts to changes in internal state, bowel resection and gastric bypass surgery. We highlight the critical importance of these intestinal remodelling processes in maintaining energy balance of the organism, and in protecting the metabolism of other organs. The intestinal resizing is supported by changes in the microbiota composition, and by activation of carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, which govern the intestinal stem cell proliferation, intestinal cell fate, as well as survivability of differentiated epithelial cells. The discovery that intestinal remodelling is part of the normal physiological adaptation to various triggers, and the potential for harnessing the reversible gut plasticity, in our view, holds extraordinary promise for developing therapeutic approaches against metabolic and inflammatory diseases.

An integrative approach to dietary balance across the life course

Animals require specific blends of nutrients that vary across the life course and with circumstances, e.g., health and activity levels. Underpinning and complicating these requirements is that individual traits may be optimized on different dietary compositions leading to nutrition-mediated trade-offs among outcomes. Additionally, the food environment may constrain which nutrient mixtures are achievable. Natural selection has equipped animals for solving such multi-dimensional, dynamic challenges of nutrition, but little is understood about the details and their theoretical and practical implications. We present an integrative framework, nutritional geometry, which models complex nutritional interactions in the context of multiple nutrients and across levels of biological organization (e.g., cellular, individual, and population) and levels of analysis (e.g., mechanistic, developmental, ecological, and evolutionary). The framework is generalizable across different situations and taxa. We illustrate this using examples spanning insects to primates and settings (laboratory, and the wild), and demonstrate its relevance for human health.

TOR signalling is required for host lipid metabolic remodelling and survival following enteric infection in Drosophila

When infected by enteric pathogenic bacteria, animals need to initiate local and whole-body defence strategies. Although most attention has focused on the role of innate immune anti-bacterial responses, less is known about how changes in host metabolism contribute to host defence. Using Drosophila as a model system, we identify induction of intestinal target-of-rapamycin (TOR) kinase signalling as a key adaptive metabolic response to enteric infection. We find that enteric infection induces both local and systemic induction of TOR independently of the Immune deficiency (IMD) innate immune pathway, and we see that TOR functions together with IMD signalling to promote infection survival. These protective effects of TOR signalling are associated with remodelling of host lipid metabolism. Thus, we see that TOR is required to limit excessive infection-mediated wasting of host lipid stores by promoting an increase in the levels of gut- and fat body-expressed lipid synthesis genes. Our data support a model in which induction of TOR represents a host tolerance response to counteract infection-mediated lipid wasting in order to promote survival. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

Tryptophan regulates Drosophila zinc stores

SignificanceZinc deficiency in the human population, a major public health concern, can also be a consequence of nutritional deficiency in protein uptake. The discovery that tryptophan metabolites 3-hydroxykynurenine and xanthurenic acid are major zinc-binding ligands in insect cells establishes the kynurenine pathway as a regulator of systemic zinc homeostasis. Many biological processes influenced by zinc and the kynurenine pathway, including the regulation of innate and acquired immune responses to viral infections, have not been studied in light of the direct molecular links revealed in this study.

The Apis mellifera alpha 5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit expresses as a homomeric receptor that is sensitive to serotonin

Insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are molecular targets of highly effective insecticides such as neonicotinoids. Functional expression of these receptors provides useful insights into their functional and pharmacological properties. Here, we report that the α5 nAChR subunit of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, functionally expresses in Xenopus laevis oocytes, which is the first time a homomeric insect nAChR has been robustly expressed in a heterologous system without the need for chaperone proteins. Using two-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology we show that the α5 receptor has low sensitivity to acetylcholine with an EC₅₀ of 2.37 mM. However, serotonin acts as an agonist with a considerably lower EC₅₀ at 119 μM that is also more efficacious than acetylcholine in activating the receptor. Molecular modelling indicates that residues in the complementary binding site may be involved in the selectivity towards serotonin. This is the first report of a ligand-gated ion channel activated by serotonin from an insect and phylogenetic analysis shows that the α5 subunit of A. mellifera and other non-Dipteran insects, including pest species, belong to a distinct subgroup of subunits, which may represent targets for the development of novel classes of insecticides.

A salivary gland-secreted peptide regulates insect systemic growth

Insect salivary glands have been previously shown to function in pupal attachment and food lubrication by secreting factors into the lumen via an exocrine way. Here, we find in Drosophila that a salivary gland-derived secreted factor (Sgsf) peptide regulates systemic growth via an endocrine way. Sgsf is specifically expressed in salivary glands and secreted into the hemolymph. Sgsf knockout or salivary gland-specific Sgsf knockdown decrease the size of both the body and organs, phenocopying the effects of genetic ablation of salivary glands, while salivary gland-specific Sgsf overexpression increases their size. Sgsf promotes systemic growth by modulating the secretion of the insulin-like peptide Dilp2 from the brain insulin-producing cells (IPCs) and affecting mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in the fat body. Altogether, our study demonstrates that Sgsf mediates the roles of salivary glands in Drosophila systemic growth, establishing an endocrine function of salivary glands.

Regulation and biological function of metal ions in Drosophila

A conceptual framework is offered for critically approaching the formidable ability of insects to segregate metal ions to their multiple destinations in proteins and subcellular compartments. New research in Drosophila melanogaster suggests that nuclear iron regulatory proteins and oxidative stress transcription factors mediate metal-responsive gene expression. Identification of a zinc-regulated chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum potentially explains membrane protein trafficking defects observed in zinc transporter mutants. Compartmentalized zinc is utilized in fertilization, embryogenesis and for the activation of zinc-finger transcription factors - the latter function demonstrated during muscle development, while dietary zinc is sensed through gating of a chloride channel. Another emerging theme in cellular metal homeostasis is that transporters and related proteins meet at endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria associated membranes with physiologically relevant consequences during aging.

The cys-loop ligand-gated ion channel gene superfamilies of the cockroaches Blattella germanica and Periplaneta americana

BACKGROUND

Cockroaches are serious urban pests that can transfer disease-causing microorganisms as well as trigger allergic reactions and asthma. They are commonly managed by pesticides that act on cys-loop ligand-gated ion channels (cysLGIC). To provide further information that will enhance our understanding of how insecticides act on their molecular targets in cockroaches, we used genome and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) data to characterize the cysLGIC gene superfamilies from Blattella germanica and Periplaneta americana.

RESULTS

The B. germanica and P. americana cysLGIC superfamilies consist of 30 and 32 subunit-encoding genes, respectively, which are the largest insect cysLGIC superfamilies characterized to date. As with other insects, the cockroaches possess ion channels predicted to be gated by acetylcholine, γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate and histamine, as well as orthologues of the drosophila pH-sensitive chloride channel (pHCl), CG8916 and CG12344. The large cysLGIC superfamilies of cockroaches are a result of an expanded number of divergent nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits, with B. germanica and P. americana, respectively, possessing eight and ten subunit genes. Diversity of the cockroach cysLGICs is also broadened by alternative splicing and RNA A-to-I editing. Unusually, both cockroach species possess a second glutamate-gated chloride channel as well as another CG8916 subunit.

CONCLUSION

These findings on B. germanica and P. americana enhance our understanding of the evolution of the insect cysLGIC superfamily and provide a useful basis for the study of their function, the detection and management of insecticide resistance, and for the development of improved pesticides with greater specificity towards these major pests. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Arc1 and the microbiota together modulate growth and metabolic traits in Drosophila

Perturbations to animal-associated microbial communities (the microbiota) have deleterious effects on various aspects of host fitness, but the molecular processes underlying these impacts are poorly understood. Here, we identify a connection between the microbiota and the neuronal factor Arc1 that affects growth and metabolism in Drosophila. We find that Arc1 exhibits tissue-specific microbiota-dependent expression changes, and that germ-free flies bearing a null mutation of Arc1 exhibit delayed and stunted larval growth, along with a variety of molecular, cellular and organismal traits indicative of metabolic dysregulation. Remarkably, we show that the majority of these phenotypes can be fully suppressed by mono-association with a single Acetobacter sp. isolate, through mechanisms involving both bacterial diet modification and live bacteria. Additionally, we provide evidence that Arc1 function in key neuroendocrine cells of the larval brain modulates growth and metabolic homeostasis under germ-free conditions. Our results reveal a role for Arc1 in modulating physiological responses to the microbial environment, and highlight how host-microbe interactions can profoundly impact the phenotypic consequences of genetic mutations in an animal host.

Discovering signaling mechanisms governing metabolism and metabolic diseases with Drosophila

There has been rapid growth in the use of Drosophila and other invertebrate systems to dissect mechanisms governing metabolism. New assays and approaches to physiology have aligned with superlative genetic tools in fruit flies to provide a powerful platform for posing new questions, or dissecting classical problems in metabolism and disease genetics. In multiple examples, these discoveries exploit experimental advantages as-yet unavailable in mammalian systems. Here, we illustrate how fly studies have addressed long-standing questions in three broad areas-inter-organ signaling through hormonal or neural mechanisms governing metabolism, intestinal interoception and feeding, and the cellular and signaling basis of sexually dimorphic metabolism and physiology-and how these findings relate to human (patho)physiology. The imaginative application of integrative physiology and related approaches in flies to questions in metabolism is expanding, and will be an engine of discovery, revealing paradigmatic features of metabolism underlying human diseases and physiological equipoise in health.

Sizes, proportions and environment

The sizes of living organisms range over twenty orders of magnitude. Within the same species, the size of individuals also varies according to the environmental conditions to which they are subjected. From the studies conducted on organisms as diverse as the drosophila, the salamander or the mouse, laws and conserved mechanisms emerge that shed light on the fundamental aspects of growth, but also on more medical issues such as tissue regeneration, metabolic homeostasis and cancer.

Response of the microbiome-gut-brain axis in Drosophila to amino acid deficit

A balanced intake of macronutrients-protein, carbohydrate and fat-is essential for the well-being of organisms. An adequate calorific intake but with insufficient protein consumption can lead to several ailments, including kwashiorkor¹. Taste receptors (T1R1-T1R3)² can detect amino acids in the environment, and cellular sensors (Gcn2 and Tor)³ monitor the levels of amino acids in the cell. When deprived of dietary protein, animals select a food source that contains a greater proportion of protein or essential amino acids (EAAs)⁴. This suggests that food selection is geared towards achieving the target amount of a particular macronutrient with assistance of the EAA-specific hunger-driven response, which is poorly understood. Here we show in Drosophila that a microbiome-gut-brain axis detects a deficit of EAAs and stimulates a compensatory appetite for EAAs. We found that the neuropeptide CNMamide (CNMa)⁵ was highly induced in enterocytes of the anterior midgut during protein deprivation. Silencing of the CNMa-CNMa receptor axis blocked the EAA-specific hunger-driven response in deprived flies. Furthermore, gnotobiotic flies bearing an EAA-producing symbiotic microbiome exhibited a reduced appetite for EAAs. By contrast, gnotobiotic flies with a mutant microbiome that did not produce leucine or other EAAs showed higher expression of CNMa and a greater compensatory appetite for EAAs. We propose that gut enterocytes sense the levels of diet- and microbiome-derived EAAs and communicate the EAA-deprived condition to the brain through CNMa.

white regulates proliferative homeostasis of intestinal stem cells during ageing in Drosophila

Tissue integrity is contingent on maintaining stem cells. Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) over-proliferate during ageing, leading to tissue dysplasia in Drosophila melanogaster. Here we describe a role for white, encoding the evolutionarily conserved ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily G, with a particularly well-characterized role in eye colour pigmentation, in ageing-induced ISC proliferation in the midgut. ISCs increase expression of white during ageing. ISC-specific inhibition of white suppresses ageing-induced ISC dysregulation and prolongs lifespan. Of the proteins that form heterodimers with White, Brown mediates ISC dysregulation during ageing. Metabolomics analyses reveal previously unappreciated, profound metabolic impacts of white inhibition on organismal metabolism. Among the metabolites affected by White, tetrahydrofolate is transported by White, is accumulated in ISCs during ageing and is indispensable for ageing-induced ISC over-proliferation. Since Thomas Morgan's isolation of a white mutant as the first Drosophila mutant, white mutants have been used extensively as genetic systems and often as controls. Our findings provide insights into metabolic regulation of stem cells mediated by the classic gene white.

Zinc is an important inter-kingdom signal between the host and microbe

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element in living organisms and plays a vital role in the regulation of both microbial virulence and host immune responses. A growing number of studies have shown that zinc deficiency or the internal Zn concentration does not meet the needs of animals and microbes, leading to an imbalance in zinc homeostasis and intracellular signalling pathway dysregulation. Competition for zinc ions (Zn²⁺) between microbes and the host exists in the use of Zn²⁺ to maintain cell structure and physiological functions. It also affects the interplay between microbial virulence factors and their specific receptors in the host. This review will focus on the role of Zn in the crosstalk between the host and microbe, especially for changes in microbial pathogenesis and nociceptive neuron-immune interactions, as it may lead to new ways to prevent or treat microbial infections.

The Role of Organelles in Intestinal Function, Physiology, and Disease

The intestine maintains homeostasis by coordinating internal biological processes to adjust to fluctuating external conditions. The intestinal epithelium is continuously renewed and comprises multiple cell types, including absorptive cells, secretory cells, and resident stem cells. An important feature of this organ is its ability to coordinate many processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, regeneration, damage/stress response, immune activity, feeding behavior, and age-related changes by using conserved signaling pathways. However, the subcellular spatial organization of these signaling events and the organelles involved has only recently been studied in detail. Here we discuss how organelles of intestinal cells serve to initiate, mediate, and terminate signals, that are vital for homeostasis.

The Function and Regulation of Zinc in the Brain

Nearly sixty years ago Fredrich Timm developed a histochemical technique that revealed a rich reserve of free zinc in distinct regions of the brain. Subsequent electron microscopy studies in Timm- stained brain tissue found that this "labile" pool of cellular zinc was highly concentrated at synaptic boutons, hinting a possible role for the metal in synaptic transmission. Although evidence for activity-dependent synaptic release of zinc would not be reported for another twenty years, these initial findings spurred decades of research into zinc's role in neuronal function and revealed a diverse array of signaling cascades triggered or regulated by the metal. Here, we delve into our current understanding of the many roles zinc plays in the brain, from influencing neurotransmission and sensory processing, to activating both pro-survival and pro-death neuronal signaling pathways. Moreover, we detail the many mechanisms that tightly regulate cellular zinc levels, including metal binding proteins and a large array of zinc transporters.

What determines organ size during development and regeneration?

The sizes of living organisms span over 20 orders of magnitude or so. This daunting observation could intimidate researchers aiming to understand the general mechanisms controlling growth. However, recent progress suggests the existence of principles common to organisms as diverse as fruit flies, mice and humans. As we review here, these studies have provided insights into both autonomous and non-autonomous mechanisms controlling organ growth as well as some of the principles underlying growth coordination between organs and across bilaterally symmetrical organisms. This research tackles several aspects of developmental biology and integrates inputs from physics, mathematical modelling and evolutionary biology. Although many open questions remain, this work also helps to shed light on medically related conditions such as tissue and limb regeneration, as well as metabolic homeostasis and cancer.

Identification and characterization of GAL4 drivers that mark distinct cell types and regions in the Drosophila adult gut

The gastrointestinal tract in the adult Drosophila serves as a model system for exploring the mechanisms underlying digestion, absorption and excretion, stem cell plasticity, and inter-organ communication, particularly through the gut-brain axis. It is also useful for studying the cellular and adaptive responses to dietary changes, alterations in microbiota and immunity, and systematic and endocrine signals. Despite the various cell types and distinct regions in the gastrointestinal tract, few tools are available to target and manipulate the activity of each cell type and region, and their gene expression. Here, we report 353 GAL4 lines and several split-GAL4 lines that are expressed in enteric neurons (ENs), progenitors (ISCs and EBs), enterocytes (ECs), enteroendocrine cells (EEs), or/and other cell types that are yet to be identified in distinct regions of the gut. We had initially collected approximately 600 GAL4 lines that may be expressed in the gut based on RNA sequencing data, and then crossed them to UAS-GFP to perform immunohistochemistry to identify those that are expressed selectively in the gut. The cell types and regional expression patterns that are associated with the entire set of GAL4 drivers and split-GAL4 combinations are annotated online at http://kdrc.kr/index.php (K-Gut Project). This GAL4 resource can be used to target specific populations of distinct cell types in the fly gut, and therefore, should permit a more precise investigation of gut cells that regulate important biological processes.

Nuclear translocation ability of Lipin differentially affects gene expression and survival in fed and fasting Drosophila

Lipins are eukaryotic proteins with functions in lipid synthesis and the homeostatic control of energy balance. They execute these functions by acting as phosphatidate phosphatase enzymes in the cytoplasm and by changing gene expression after translocation into the cell nucleus, in particular under fasting conditions. Here, we asked whether nuclear translocation and the enzymatic activity of Drosophila Lipin serve essential functions and how gene expression changes, under both fed and fasting conditions, when nuclear translocation is impaired. To address these questions, we created a Lipin null mutant, a mutant expressing Lipin lacking a nuclear localization signal (LipinΔNLS ), and a mutant expressing enzymatically dead Lipin. Our data support the conclusion that the enzymatic but not nuclear gene regulatory activity of Lipin is essential for survival. Notably, adult LipinΔNLS flies were not only viable but also exhibited improved life expectancy. In contrast, they were highly susceptible to starvation. Both the improved life expectancy in the fed state and the decreased survival in the fasting state correlated with changes in metabolic gene expression. Moreover, increased life expectancy of fed flies was associated with a decreased metabolic rate. Interestingly, in addition to metabolic genes, genes involved in feeding behavior and the immune response were misregulated in LipinΔNLS flies. Altogether, our data suggest that the nuclear activity of Lipin influences the genomic response to nutrient availability with effects on life expectancy and starvation resistance. Thus, nutritional or therapeutic approaches that aim at lowering nuclear translocation of lipins in humans may be worth exploring.

Dietary zinc enrichment reduces the cadmium burden of mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor) larvae

The industrial production of Tenebrio molitor L. requires optimized rearing and processing conditions to generate insect biomass with high nutritional value in large quantities. One of the problems arising from processing is a tremendous loss in mineral accessibility, affecting, amongst others, the essential trace element Zn. As a feasible strategy this study investigates Zn-enrichment of mealworms during rearing to meet the nutritional requirements for humans and animals. Following feeding ZnSO₄-spiked wheat bran substrates late instar mealworm larvae were evaluated for essential micronutrients and human/animal toxic elements. In addition, growth rate and viability were assessed to select optimal conditions for future mass-rearing. Zn-feeding dose-dependently raised the total Zn content, yet the Zn_larvae/Zn_{wheat bran} ratio decreased inversely related to its concentration, indicating an active Zn homeostasis within the mealworms. The Cu status remained stable, suggesting that, in contrast to mammals, the intestinal Cu absorption in mealworm larvae is not affected by Zn. Zn biofortification led to a moderate Fe and Mn reduction in mealworms, a problem that certainly can be overcome by Fe/Mn co-supplementation during rearing. Most importantly, Zn feeding massively reduced the levels of the human/animal toxicant Cd within the mealworm larvae, a technological novelty of outstanding importance to be implemented in the future production process to ensure the consumer safety of this edible insect species.

The Lysosome at the Intersection of Cellular Growth and Destruction

The lysosome is an essential catabolic organelle that consumes cellular biomass to regenerate basic building blocks that can fuel anabolic reactions. This simple view has evolved more recently to integrate novel functions of the lysosome as a key signaling center, which can steer the metabolic trajectory of cells in response to changes in nutrients, growth factors, and stress. Master protein kinases and transcription factors mediate the growth-promoting and catabolic activities of the lysosome and undergo a complex interplay that enables cellular adaptation to ever-changing metabolic conditions. Understanding how this coordination occurs will shed light on the fundamental logic of how the lysosome functions to control growth in the context of development, tissue homeostasis, and cancer.

Ageing, metabolism and the intestine

The intestinal epithelium serves as a dynamic barrier to the environment and integrates a variety of signals, including those from metabolites, commensal microbiota, immune responses and stressors upon ageing. The intestine is constantly challenged and requires a high renewal rate to replace damaged cells in order to maintain its barrier function. Essential for its renewal capacity are intestinal stem cells, which constantly give rise to progenitor cells that differentiate into the multiple cell types present in the epithelium. Here, we review the current state of research of how metabolism and ageing control intestinal stem cell function and epithelial homeostasis. We focus on recent insights gained from model organisms that indicate how changes in metabolic signalling during ageing are a major driver for the loss of stem cell plasticity and epithelial homeostasis, ultimately affecting the resilience of an organism and limiting its lifespan. We compare findings made in mouse and Drosophila and discuss differences and commonalities in the underlying signalling pathways and mechanisms in the context of ageing.

Cellular iron sensing and regulation: Nuclear IRP1 extends a classic paradigm

The classic view is that iron regulatory proteins operate at the post-transcriptional level. Iron Regulatory Protein 1 (IRP1) shifts between an apo-form that binds mRNAs and a holo-form that harbors a [4Fe4S] cluster. The latter form is not considered relevant to iron regulation, but rather thought to act as a non-essential cytosolic aconitase. Recent work in Drosophila, however, shows that holo-IRP1 can also translocate to the nucleus, where it appears to downregulate iron metabolism genes, preparing the cell for a decline in iron uptake. The shifting of IRP1 between states requires a functional mitoNEET pathway that includes a glycogen branching enzyme for the repair or disassembly of IRP1's oxidatively damaged [3Fe4S] cluster. The new findings add to the notion that glucose metabolism is modulated by iron metabolism. Furthermore, we propose that ferritin ferroxidase activity participates in the repair of the IRP1 [3Fe4S] cluster leading to the hypothesis that cytosolic ferritin directly contributes to cellular iron sensing.