Strong GAL4 expression compromises Drosophila fat body function.

ABSTRACT: The ability to direct tissue-specific overexpression of transgenic proteins in genetically tractable organisms like Drosophila melanogaster has facilitated innumerable biological discoveries. However, transgenic proteins can themselves impact cellular and physiological processes in ways that are often ignored or poorly defined. Here we discovered that the yolk-GAL4 transgene, which directs strong expression of the yeast GAL4 transcription factor in the Drosophila fat body, induces significant physiological defects in adult female flies. We found that yolk-GAL4 disrupts adipose tissue integrity and reduces fat body lipid stores, egg production, and resistance to systemic bacterial infections. Knocking down GAL4 expression in yolk-GAL4 heterozygotes using RNAi fully suppressed each of these

SUBMITTER: Keith SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12774853 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature