title: The SREBP pathway in Drosophila: regulation by palmitate, not sterols.
abstract: In mammals, synthesis of cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acids is controlled by SREBPs, a family of membrane-bound transcription factors. Here, we show that the Drosophila genome encodes all components of the SREBP pathway, including a single SREBP (dSREBP), SREBP cleavage-activating protein (dSCAP), and the two proteases that process SREBP at sites 1 and 2 to release the nuclear fragment. In cultured Drosophila S2 cells, dSREBP is processed at sites 1 and 2, and the liberated fragment increases mRNAs encoding enzymes of fatty acid biosynthesis, but not sterol or isoprenoid biosynthesis. Processing requires dSCAP, but is not inhibited by sterols as in mammals. Instead, dSREBP processing is blocked by palmitic acid. These findings suggest that the ancestral SREBP pathway functions to maintain membrane integrity rather than to control cholesterol homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Adam C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Seegmiller
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dobrosotskaya
authors.forename: Joseph L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Rawson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects*; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D013261:Sterols / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C497387:SREBF1 protein, human; C102196:SREBP cleavage-activating protein; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D013261:Sterols; D014157:Transcription Factors; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D019289:Pyruvic Acid