The Drosophila MicroRNA Mir-14 Suppresses Cell Death and Is Required for Normal Fat Metabolism

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that are between 21 and 25 nucleotides in length and repress gene function through interactions with target mRNAs 1, 2. The genomes of metazoans encode on the order of several hundred miRNAs [3], but the processes they regulate have been defined for only two in C. elegans4, 5. We searched for new inhibitors of apoptotic cell death by testing existing collections of P element insertion lines for their ability to enhance a small-eye phenotype associated with eye-specific expression of the Drosophila cell death activator Reaper. Here we report the identification of the Drosophila miRNA mir-14 as a cell death suppressor. Loss of mir-14 enhances Reaper-dependent cell death, whereas ectopic expression suppresses cell death induced by multiple stimuli. Animals lacking mir-14 are viable. However, they are stress sensitive and have a reduced lifespan. Mir-14 mutants have elevated levels of the apoptotic effector caspase Drice, suggesting one potential site of action. Mir-14 also regulates fat metabolism. Deletion of mir-14 results in animals with increased levels of triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol, whereas increases in mir-14 copy number have the converse effect. We discuss possible relationships between these phenotypes

Potential for Circular Autopoietic Economy in High River Po Valley

This Gigamap aims to describe and summarize a student work carried out during the semester course Open Systems Design at Politecnico di Torino. This is one of the outputs from an analysis of the High River Po Valley area in the Italian Piedmont (Southwest of Turin) and subsequently an in-depth study of the relationships and “flows” with certain “currencies” between some selected economic and public actors. The analysis was conducted through five economic sectors: nature & ecosystem services, tourism, mobility and infrastructure, local craft activities and agri-food. The investigation of the territorial economy was carried out by giving particular attention to the production sectors characteristic of the territory and examine their production lines. The holistic diagnosis has highlighted the existence of several problems related to the linearity of the production processes. Through the five types of system flows (material, CO2 emissions/energy, water, economic and social flows), we designed new opportunities, new activities and new potential companies, thinking circularly and systemically. The Gigamap will be presented to stakeholders in a public hearing and used to illustrate and incubate a more circular economy that is more resilient and more regenerative. Reading the map The reader can find in the first part an abstract with the aim of the Gigamap, the five topics for the investigation and actors’ selection, a timeline about important events and some peculiarities of the territory. In the middle, the territorial map of a suggested improved territorial economy based on circular flows: the 16 actors are localized on the territory with new circular flows “designed in” between them. The boxes describe connections for new circular opportunities, with flows explained under the territorial map—finally, some data about the territory and the three main outputs emerging from the new circular linkages

In Search of the Good European Citizen : WYSIWYG

Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is ubiquitous, both during development and in the adult. Many components of the evolutionarily conserved machinery that brings about and regulates cell death have been identified, and all of these are proteins. However, in the past three years it has become clear that roughly 1% of predicted genes in animals encode small noncoding RNAs known as microRNAs, which regulate gene function. Here we review the recent identification of microRNA cell death regulators in Drosophila, hints that such regulators are also likely to exist in mammals, and more generally the approaches and tools that are now available to probe roles for noncoding RNAs in the control of cell death

Drosophila let-7 microRNA is required for remodeling of the neuromusculature during metamorphosis

The Drosophila let-7-Complex (let-7-C) is a polycistronic locus encoding three ancient microRNAs: let-7, miR-100, and fly lin-4 (miR-125). We find that the let-7-C locus is principally expressed in the pupal and adult neuromusculature. let-7-C knockout flies appear normal externally but display defects in adult behaviors (e.g., flight, motility, and fertility) as well as clear juvenile features in their neuromusculature. We find that the function of let-7-C to ensure the appropriate remodeling of the abdominal neuromusculature during the larval-to-adult transition is carried out predominantly by let-7 alone. This heterochronic role of let-7 is likely just one of the ways in which let-7-C promotes adult behavior