The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a subcellular organelle essential for cellular homeostasis. Perturbation of ER functions due to various conditions can induce apoptosis. Chronic ER stress has been implicated in a wide range of diseases, including autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP), which is characterized by age-dependent retinal degeneration caused by mutant rhodopsin alleles. However, the signaling pathways that mediate apoptosis in response to ER stress remain poorly understood...

Animals generally prefer nutrients and avoid toxic and harmful chemicals. Recent behavioral and physiological studies have identified that sweet-sensing gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) in Drosophila melanogaster mediate appetitive behaviors toward fatty acids. Sweet-sensing GRN activation requires the function of the ionotropic receptors IR25a, IR56d, and IR76b, as well as the gustatory receptor GR64e. However, we reveal that hexanoic acid (HA) is toxic rather than nutritious to D. melanoga...

Males have finite resources to spend on reproduction. Thus, males rely on a ‘time invest- ment strategy’ to maximize their reproductive success. For example, male Drosophila mela- nogaster extends their mating duration when surrounded by conditions enriched with rivals. Here we report a different form of behavioral plasticity whereby male fruit flies exhibit a shortened duration of mating when they are sexually experienced; we refer to this plasticity as ‘shorter-mating-duration (SMD)�...

Amino acids are essential nutrients that act as building blocks for protein synthesis. Recent studies in Drosophila have demonstrated that glycine, phenylalanine, and threonine elicit attraction, whereas trypto- phan elicits aversion at ecologically relevant concentrations. Here, we demonstrated that eight amino acids, including arginine, glycine, alanine, serine, phenylalanine, threonine, cysteine, and proline, differentially stim- ulate feeding behavior by activating sweet-sensing gustatory...

 The rhythmic pattern of biological processes controlled by light over 24h is termed the circadian rhythm. Disturbance of circadian rhythm due to exposure to light at night (LAN) disrupts the sleep- wake cycle and can promote cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and metabolic disorders in humans. We studied how dim LAN affects the circadian rhythm and metabolism using male Drosophila. Wild-type flies exposed to the dim light of 10lux at night displayed altered 24h sleep-wake behavior an...

The MOZ/MORF histone acetyltransferase complex is highly conserved in eukaryotes and controls transcription, development, and tumorigenesis. However, little is known about how its chromatin localization is regulated. Inhibitor of growth 5 (ING5) tumor suppressor is a subunit of the MOZ/MORF complex. Nevertheless, the in vivo func- tion of ING5 remains unclear. Here, we report an antagonistic interaction between Drosophila Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) (Tctp) and ING5 (Ing5) ...

Vitamins are essential micronutrients, but the mechanisms of vita- min chemoreception in animals are poorly understood. Here, we provide evidence that vitamin C doubles starvation resistance and induces egg laying in Drosophila melanogaster. Our behavioral ana- lyses of genetically engineered and anatomically ablated flies show that fruit flies sense vitamin C via sweet-sensing gustatory recep- tor neurons (GRNs) in the labellum. Using a behavioral screen and in vivo electrophysiological anal...