title: Emerging functional similarities and divergences between Drosophila Spargel/dPGC-1 and mammalian PGC-1 protein.
abstract: Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor Gamma Co-activator-1 (PGC-1) is a well-conserved protein among all chordates. Entire Drosophila species subgroup carries a PGC-1 homolog in their genome called spargel/dPGC-1 showing very little divergence. Recent studies have reported that significant functional similarities are shared between vertebrate and invertebrate PGC-1's based on their role in mitochondrial functions and biogenesis, gluconeogenesis, and most likely in transcription and RNA processing. With the help of genetic epistasis analysis, we established that Drosophila Spargel/dPGC-1 affects cell growth process as a terminal effector in the Insulin-TOR signaling pathway. The association between Spargel/dPGC-1 and Insulin signaling could also explain its role in the aging process. Here we provided a further comparison between Spargel/dPGC-1 and PGC-1 focusing on nuclear localization, oxidative stress resistance, and a possible role of Spargel/dPGC-1 in oogenesis reminiscing the role of Spargel in reproductive aging like many Insulin signaling partners. This led us to hypothesize that the discovery of newer biological functions in Drosophila Spargel/dPGC-1 will pave the way to uncover novel functional equivalents in mammals.
authors: Department of Biology, Howard University Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Subhas
authors: S
authors: Mukherjee
authors: Department of Biology, Howard University Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Mohammed A
authors: MA
authors: Basar
authors: Department of Biology, Howard University Washington, DC, USA ; Biology Undergraduate Program, College of Science, George Mason University Fairfax, VA, USA.
authors: Claudette
authors: C
authors: Davis
authors: Department of Biology, Howard University Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Atanu
authors: A
authors: Duttaroy
keywords: Drosophila; PGC-1; RNA processing; mitochondria; oogenesis