G-protein signaling is required for increasing germline stem cell division frequency in response to mating in Drosophila males

• Authors: Manshree S Malpe, University of Georgia, Athens; Leon F McSwain, Emory University; Karl Kudyba, University of Georgia, Athens; Chun L Ng, University of Texas Southwestern; Jennie Nicholson, University of Georgia, Athens; Maximilian Brady, University of Georgia, Athens; Yue Qian, University of North Georgia; Vinay Choksi, Duke University; Alicia G Hudson, University of Georgia, Athens; Benjamin B Parrott, University of Georgia, Athens; Cordula Schulz, University of Georgia, Athens
• Journal Title: Scientific Reports
• Volume: Volume 10
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group | 2020-03-03
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60807-8
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery
• Keywords: Cell proliferation; Stem cells

Abstract

Adult stem cells divide to renew the stem cell pool and replenish specialized cells that are lost due to death or usage. However, little is known about the mechanisms regulating how stem cells adjust to a demand for specialized cells. A failure of the stem cells to respond to this demand can have serious consequences, such as tissue loss, or prolonged recovery post injury. Here, we challenge the male germline stem cells (GSCs) of Drosophila melanogaster for the production of specialized cells, sperm cells, using mating experiments. We show that repeated mating reduced the sperm pool and increased the percentage of GSCs in M- and S-phase of the cell cycle. The increase in dividing GSCs depended on the activity of the highly conserved G-proteins. Germline expression of RNA-Interference (RNA-i) constructs against G-proteins, or a dominant negative G-protein eliminated the increase in GSC division frequency in mated males. Consistent with a role for the G-proteins in regulating GSC division frequency, RNA-i against seven out of 35 G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) within the germline cells also eliminated the capability of males to increase the numbers of dividing GSCs in response to mating.