Drosophila Lipid Storage Droplet 2 gene (Lsd‐2) is expressed and controls lipid storage in wing imaginal discs

Abstract

Lipid droplets are the major neutral lipid storage organelles in higher eukaryotes. The PAT domain proteins (Perilipin, ADRP [adipose differentiation related protein], and TIP47 [tail-interacting 47-kDa protein]) are associated with these structures. Perilipin and ADRP are involved in the regulation of lipid storage and metabolism in mammals. Two genes encoding PAT proteins, Drosophila Lipid Storage Droplet 2 Gene (Lsd-2) and Lsd-2, have been identified in Drosophila. Lsd-2 is expressed in fat bodies and in the female germ line and is involved in lipid storage in these tissues. We showed that Lsd-2 is expressed in third-instar wing imaginal discs in Drosophila, with higher levels in the wing pouch, which corresponds to the presumptive wing region of the wing disc. This specific expression pattern is correlated with a high level of neutral lipid accumulation. We also showed that neutral lipid deposition in the wing disc is severely reduced in an Lsd-2 mutant and is increased with Lsd-2 overexpression. Finally, we showed that overexpression of the vestigial (vg) pro-wing gene induces Lsd-2 expression, suggesting that Lsd-2 mediates a vg role during wing formation. Our results suggest that Lsd-2 function is not restricted to tissues directly involved in lipid storage and could play additional roles during development. Developmental Dynamics 232: 725-732, 2005.

Lipid droplet-based storage fat metabolism in Drosophila

“…Accordingly, Dmplin2 mutants are lean, whereas overexpression of the gene in the fat body increases fat accumulation in fl ies ( 59,60,63 ). A direct interaction of Dm PLIN2 with any of the aforementioned lipases is currently unknown.…”

Purification and Characterization of Recombinant Lipid Storage Protein-2 from Drosophila melanogaster

“…Current information on the function of these proteins suggests that they play opposite roles in the metabolism of TAG. Expression of Lsd2 favors the accumulation of TAG in flies [11,[14][15][16] whereas Lsd1 plays an important role in activation of the hydrolysis of TAG [6,13,23]. To investigate possible relationships between the structure and function of these proteins we compared first the similarities between the protein sequences.…”

“…Studies in Drosophila melanogaster have shown that the accumulation of TAG in the fly correlates with the levels of expression of Lsd2 [11,[14][15][16]. Over-expression of Lsd2 leads to fat flies whereas a decrease in Lsd2 expression results in lean adult flies.…”

Opposite and redundant roles of the two Drosophila perilipins in lipid mobilization

“…Studies of Drosophila plin2 mutants revealed that PLIN2 is required for lipid droplet transport in Drosophila embryos and is important for protecting lipid droplets from lipolysis (Fauny et al, 2005;Grönke et al, 2003;Welte et al, 2005). Drosophila counterparts of the two mammalian lipases, ATGL and HSL, are also present.…”