Female-biased upregulation of insulin pathway activity mediates the sex difference in <i>Drosophila</i> body size plasticity.

ABSTRACT: Nutrient-dependent body size plasticity differs between the sexes in most species, including mammals. Previous work in Drosophila showed that body size plasticity was higher in females, yet the mechanisms underlying increased female body size plasticity remain unclear. Here, we discover that a protein-rich diet augments body size in females and not males because of a female-biased increase in activity of the conserved insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS). This sex-biased upregulation of IIS activity was triggered by a diet-induced increase in stunted mRNA in females, and required Drosophila insulin-like peptide 2, illuminating new sex-specific roles for these genes. Importantly, we show that sex determination gene transformer promotes the d

SUBMITTER: Millington JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7864645 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature