Chaski, a novel Drosophila lactate/pyruvate transporter required in glia cells for survival under nutritional stress.

ABSTRACT: The intercellular transport of lactate is crucial for the astrocyte-to-neuron lactate shuttle (ANLS), a model of brain energetics according to which neurons are fueled by astrocytic lactate. In this study we show that the Drosophila chaski gene encodes a monocarboxylate transporter protein (MCT/SLC16A) which functions as a lactate/pyruvate transporter, as demonstrated by heterologous expression in mammalian cell culture using a genetically encoded FRET nanosensor. chaski expression is prominent in the Drosophila central nervous system and it is particularly enriched in glia over neurons. chaski mutants exhibit defects in a high energy demanding process such as synaptic transmission, as well as in locomotion and survival under nutritional stress. Remarkably, locomotion and survival under nu

SUBMITTER: Delgado MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5775259 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature