title: Stress resistance conferred by neuronal expression of dominant-negative Rac in adult Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: How does brain coordinate physiological and behavioral responses to achieve survival in adverse environment is intriguing yet complicated. During studies of the small G protein Rac's role in learning and memory, the authors unexpectedly observed that neuronal expression of dominant-negative Rac in adult Drosophila remarkably enhanced the survival of animals in various stress conditions, including oxidation, desiccation, starvation, and heat. The elevated stress resistance was not accompanied by a reduction in female fecundity or a change in whole-body lipid storage. The observation therefore implies the involvement of small G protein Rac in neuronal regulation of global stress responses.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. shuaiyichun@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yichun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shuai
authors.forename: Yisi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liwen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003890:Desiccation / Q000379:methods; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D010269:Paraquat / Q000494:pharmacology; D013217:Starvation / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006540:Herbicides; D014280:Triglycerides; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins; D010269:Paraquat