Sply regulation of sphingolipid signaling molecules is essential for Drosophila development

DR Herr, H Fyrst, V Phan, K Heinecke, R Georges… - 2003 - journals.biologists.com
DR Herr, H Fyrst, V Phan, K Heinecke, R Georges, GL Harris, JD Saba
2003journals.biologists.com
Sphingosine-1-phosphate is a sphingolipid metabolite that regulates cell proliferation,
migration and apoptosis through specific signaling pathways. Sphingosine-1-phosphate
lyase catalyzes the conversion of sphingosine-1-phosphate to ethanolamine phosphate and
a fatty aldehyde. We report the cloning of the Drosophila sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase
gene (Sply) and demonstrate its importance for adult muscle development and integrity,
reproduction and larval viability. Sply expression is temporally regulated, with onset of …
Sphingosine-1-phosphate is a sphingolipid metabolite that regulates cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis through specific signaling pathways. Sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase catalyzes the conversion of sphingosine-1-phosphate to ethanolamine phosphate and a fatty aldehyde. We report the cloning of the Drosophila sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase gene (Sply) and demonstrate its importance for adult muscle development and integrity, reproduction and larval viability. Splyexpression is temporally regulated, with onset of expression during mid-embryogenesis. Sply null mutants accumulate both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated sphingoid bases and exhibit semi-lethality, increased apoptosis in developing embryos, diminished egg-laying, and gross pattern abnormalities in dorsal longitudinal flight muscles. These defects are corrected by restoring Sply expression or by introduction of a suppressor mutation that diminishes sphingolipid synthesis and accumulation of sphingolipid intermediates. This is the first demonstration of novel and complex developmental pathologies directly linked to a disruption of sphingolipid catabolism in metazoans.
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