Journal Article

The Interplay between Myc and CTP Synthase in Drosophila

Grice, Stuart J., Liu, Ji-Long, Aughey, Gabriel N.

2016

Overview

CTP synthase (CTPsyn) is essential for the biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. It has been shown that CTPsyn is incorporated into a novel cytoplasmic structure which has been termed the cytoophidium. Here, we report that Myc regulates cytoophidium formation during Drosophila oogenesis. We have found that Myc protein levels correlate with cytoophidium abundance in follicle epithelia. Reducing Myc levels results in cytoophidium loss and small nuclear size in follicle cells, while overexpression of Myc increases the length of cytoophidia and the nuclear size of follicle cells. Ectopic expression of Myc induces cytoophidium formation in late stage follicle cells. Furthermore, knock-down of CTPsyn is sufficient to suppress the overgrowth phenotype induced by Myc overexpression, suggesting CTPsyn acts downstream of Myc and is required for Myc-mediated cell size control. Taken together, our data suggest a functional link between Myc, a renowned oncogene, and the essential nucleotide biosynthetic enzyme CTPsyn.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Animals / Biology and Life Sciences / Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases - metabolism / Cell growth / Cell Size / Cloning / Drosophila / Drosophila melanogaster - cytology / Drosophila melanogaster - enzymology / Drosophila Proteins - metabolism / Enzymes / Female / Gene Knockdown Techniques / Homeostasis / Insects / Medicine and Health Sciences / Metabolism / Observations / Ovarian Follicle - cytology / Ovarian Follicle - enzymology / Phenotype / Physiological aspects / Protein synthesis / Research and Analysis Methods