Tipping M, Perrimon N.
Drosophila as a model for context-dependent tumorigenesis. J Cell Physiol. 2014;229 (1) :27-33.
AbstractDrosophila can exhibit classic hallmarks of cancer, such as evasion of apoptosis, sustained proliferation, metastasis, prolonged survival, genome instability, and metabolic reprogramming, when cancer-related genes are perturbed. In the last two decades, studies in flies have identified several tumor suppressor and oncogenes. However, the greatest strength of the fly lies in its ability to model cancer hallmarks in a variety of tissue types, which enables the study of context-dependent tumorigenesis. We review the organs and tissues that have been used to model tumor formation, and propose new strategies to maximize the potential of Drosophila in cancer research.
2014_J Cell Phys_Tipping.pdf Zhou R, Mohr S, Hannon GJ, Perrimon N.
Inducing RNAi in Drosophila cells by soaking with dsRNA. Cold Spring Harb Protoc. 2014;2014 (5).
AbstractRNA interference (RNAi) triggered by synthetic long double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) has been applied in many Drosophila cell lines to study the functions of individual genes or for genome-wide scans. One contributor to the popularity of this approach is that many fly cell lines spontaneously take up dsRNAs from media, obviating the need for assisted uptake methods such as transfection. In this protocol, RNAi is induced in Drosophila S2 cells by soaking with dsRNA. Cell lines other than S2 can also be used, although the ability of each line to passively take up dsRNA does vary. Therefore, the efficiency of passive uptake should be carefully verified for each line.
2014_CSH Perspect_Zhou.pdf Piccirillo R, Demontis F, Perrimon N, Goldberg AL.
Mechanisms of muscle growth and atrophy in mammals and Drosophila. Dev Dyn. 2014;243 (2) :201-15.
AbstractBACKGROUND: The loss of skeletal muscle mass (atrophy) that accompanies disuse and systemic diseases is highly debilitating. Although the pathogenesis of this condition has been primarily studied in mammals, Drosophila is emerging as an attractive system to investigate some of the mechanisms involved in muscle growth and atrophy. RESULTS: In this review, we highlight the outstanding unsolved questions that may benefit from a combination of studies in both flies and mammals. In particular, we discuss how different environmental stimuli and signaling pathways influence muscle mass and strength and how a variety of disease states can cause muscle wasting. CONCLUSIONS: Studies in Drosophila and mammals should help identify molecular targets for the treatment of muscle wasting in humans.
2014_Dev Dyn_Piccirillo.pdf Owusu-Ansah E, Perrimon N.
Modeling metabolic homeostasis and nutrient sensing in Drosophila: implications for aging and metabolic diseases. Dis Model Mech. 2014;7 (3) :343-50.
Abstract
Over the past decade, numerous reports have underscored the similarities between the metabolism of Drosophila and vertebrates, with the identification of evolutionarily conserved enzymes and analogous organs that regulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. It is now well established that the major metabolic, energy-sensing and endocrine signaling networks of vertebrate systems are also conserved in flies. Accordingly, studies in Drosophila are beginning to unravel how perturbed energy balance impinges on lifespan and on the ensuing diseases when energy homeostasis goes awry. Here, we highlight several emerging concepts that are at the nexus between obesity, nutrient sensing, metabolic homeostasis and aging. Specifically, we summarize the endocrine mechanisms that regulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and provide an overview of the neuropeptides that regulate feeding behavior. We further describe the various efforts at modeling the effects of high-fat or -sugar diets in Drosophila and the signaling mechanisms involved in integrating organ function. Finally, we draw attention to some of the cardinal discoveries made with these disease models and how these could spur new research questions in vertebrate systems.
2014_DMM_Owusu-Ansah.pdf Mohr SE, Hu Y, Kim K, Housden BE, Perrimon N.
Resources for functional genomics studies in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics. 2014;197 (1) :1-18.
AbstractDrosophila melanogaster has become a system of choice for functional genomic studies. Many resources, including online databases and software tools, are now available to support design or identification of relevant fly stocks and reagents or analysis and mining of existing functional genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, etc. datasets. These include large community collections of fly stocks and plasmid clones, "meta" information sites like FlyBase and FlyMine, and an increasing number of more specialized reagents, databases, and online tools. Here, we introduce key resources useful to plan large-scale functional genomics studies in Drosophila and to analyze, integrate, and mine the results of those studies in ways that facilitate identification of highest-confidence results and generation of new hypotheses. We also discuss ways in which existing resources can be used and might be improved and suggest a few areas of future development that would further support large- and small-scale studies in Drosophila and facilitate use of Drosophila information by the research community more generally.
2014_Genetics_Mohr.pdf Mohr SE, Smith JA, Shamu CE, Neumüller RA, Perrimon N.
RNAi screening comes of age: improved techniques and complementary approaches. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2014;15 (9) :591-600.
Abstract
Gene silencing through sequence-specific targeting of mRNAs by RNAi has enabled genome-wide functional screens in cultured cells and in vivo in model organisms. These screens have resulted in the identification of new cellular pathways and potential drug targets. Considerable progress has been made to improve the quality of RNAi screen data through the development of new experimental and bioinformatics approaches. The recent availability of genome-editing strategies, such as the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas9 system, when combined with RNAi, could lead to further improvements in screen data quality and follow-up experiments, thus promoting our understanding of gene function and gene regulatory networks.
2014_Nat Rev MCB_Mohr.pdf Droujinine IA, Yan D, Perrimon N.
A sharp end to sugary Wingless travels. J Cell Biol. 2014;206 (7) :819-21.
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster follicle stem cells are controlled by Wingless (Wg) ligands secreted 50 µm away, raising the question of how long-distance Wg spreading occurs. In this issue of JCB, Wang and Page-McCaw (2014. J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201403084) demonstrate a potential mechanism by which the heparan sulfate proteoglycan Dally-like (Dlp) promotes Wg travel, whereas matrix Mmp2 (Metalloproteinase 2) impedes it by inactivating Dlp.
2014_JCB_Droujinine.pdf Housden BE, Perrimon N.
Spatial and temporal organization of signaling pathways. Trends Biochem Sci. 2014;39 (10) :457-64.
AbstractThe development and maintenance of the many different cell types in metazoan organisms requires robust and diverse intercellular communication mechanisms. Relatively few such signaling pathways have been identified, leading to the question of how such a broad diversity of output is generated from relatively simple signals. Recent studies have revealed complex mechanisms integrating temporal and spatial information to generate diversity in signaling pathway output. We review some general principles of signaling pathways, focusing on transcriptional outputs in Drosophila. We consider the role of spatial and temporal aspects of different transduction pathways and then discuss how recently developed tools and approaches are helping to dissect the complex mechanisms linking pathway stimulation to output.
2014_Trends Bio Sci_Housden.pdf Doupé DP, Perrimon N.
Visualizing and manipulating temporal signaling dynamics with fluorescence-based tools. Sci Signal. 2014;7 (319) :re1.
AbstractThe use of genome-wide proteomic and RNA interference approaches has moved our understanding of signal transduction from linear pathways to highly integrated networks centered on core nodes. However, probing the dynamics of flow of information through such networks remains technically challenging. In particular, how the temporal dynamics of an individual pathway can elicit distinct outcomes in a single cell type and how multiple pathways may interact sequentially or synchronously to influence cell fate remain open questions in many contexts. The development of fluorescence-based reporters and optogenetic regulators of pathway activity enables the analysis of signaling in living cells and organisms with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution and holds the promise of addressing these key questions. We present a brief overview of the evidence for the importance of temporal dynamics in cellular regulation, introduce these fluorescence-based tools, and highlight specific studies that leveraged these tools to probe the dynamics of information flow through signaling networks. In particular, we highlight two studies in Caenorhabditis elegans sensory neurons and cultured mammalian cells that demonstrate the importance of signal dynamics in determining cellular responses.
2014_Sci Sig_Doupe.pdf