Background:The Fic domain mediates AMPylation and is highly conserved in various species. Results: BiP is identified as a substrate of Fic, and its AMPylation state is modulated by ER stress. Conclusion: AMPylation of BiP presents a regulatory mechanism for cells to achieve ER homeostasis. Significance: BiP is the first known substrate for AMPylation by a eukaryotic Fic protein.

OBJECTIVEWe evaluate a potential role of activating transcription factor 4 (Atf4) in invertebrate and mammalian metabolism.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWith two parallel approaches—a fat body–specific green fluorescent protein enhancer trap screen in D. melanogaster and expression profiling of developing murine fat tissues—we identified Atf4 as expressed in invertebrate and vertebrate metabolic tissues. We assessed the functional relevance of the evolutionarily conserved expression by analyzing Atf4 mutant flies and Atf4 mutant mice for possible metabolic phenotypes.RESULTSFlies with insertions at the Atf4 locus have reduced fat content, increased starvation sensitivity, and lower levels of circulating carbohydrate. Atf4 null mice are also lean, and they resist age-related and diet-induced obesity. Atf4 null mice have increased energy expenditure potentially accounting for the lean phenotype. Atf4 null mice are hypoglycemic, even before substantial changes in fat content, indicating that Atf4 regulates mammalian carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, the Atf4 mutation blunts diet-induced diabetes as well as hyperlipidemia and hepatosteatosis. Several aspects of the Atf4 mutant phenotype resemble mice with mutations in components of the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway. Consistent with the phenotypic similarities, Atf4 null mice have reduced expression of genes that regulate intracellular amino acid concentrations and lower intracellular concentration of amino acids, a key TOR input. Further, Atf4 mutants have reduced S6K activity in liver and adipose tissues.CONCLUSIONSAtf4 regulates age-related and diet-induced obesity as well as glucose homeostasis in mammals and has conserved metabolic functions in flies.

Adipose tissue is formed at stereotypic times and locations in a diverse array of organisms. Once formed, the tissue is dynamic, responding to homeostatic and external cues and capable of a 15-fold expansion. The formation and maintenance of adipose tissue is essential to many biological processes and when perturbed leads to significant diseases. Despite this basic and clinical significance, understanding of the developmental biology of adipose tissue has languished. In this Review, we highlight recent efforts to unveil adipose developmental cues, adipose stem cell biology and the regulators of adipose tissue homeostasis and dynamism.

SUMMARY A common thread among conserved lifespan regulators lies within intertwined roles in metabolism and energy homeostasis. We show that heterozygous mutations of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) biosynthetic enzymes extend Drosophila lifespan. The lifespan benefit of these mutations depends upon increased AMP to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to ATP ratios and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Transgenic expression of AMPK in adult fat body or adult muscle, key metabolic tissues, extended lifespan, while AMPK RNAi reduced lifespan. Supplementing adenine, a substrate for AMP biosynthesis, to the diet of long-lived AMP biosynthesis mutants reversed lifespan extension. Remarkably, this simple change in diet also blocked the pro-longevity effects of dietary restriction. These data establish AMP biosynthesis, adenosine nucleotide ratios, and AMPK as determinants of adult lifespan, provide a mechanistic link between cellular anabolism and energy sensing pathways, and indicate that dietary adenine manipulations might alter metabolism to influence animal lifespan.

SUMMARY Adipose tissues provide circulating nutrients and hormones. We present in vivo mouse studies highlighting roles for Wnt signals in both aspects of metabolism. β-catenin activation in PPARγ–expressing fat progenitors (PBCA) decreased fat mass and induced fibrotic replacement of subcutaneous fat specifically. In spite of lipodystrophy, PBCA mice did not develop the expected diabetes and hepatosteatosis, but rather exhibited improved glucose metabolism and normal insulin sensitivity. Glucose uptake was increased in muscle independently of insulin, associated with cell surface translocation of glucose transporters and AMPK activation. Ex vivo assays showed these effects were likely secondary to blood-borne signals since PBCA sera or conditioned media from PBCA fat progenitors enhanced glucose uptake and activated AMPK in muscle cultures. Thus, adipose progenitor Wnt activation dissociates lipodystrophy from dysfunctional metabolism and highlights a fat-muscle endocrine axis, which may represent a potential therapy to lower blood glucose and improve metabolism.

Cdk5 is a post-mitotic kinase with complex roles in maintaining neuronal health. The various mechanisms by which Cdk5 inhibits and promotes neurodegeneration are still poorly understood. Here, we show that in Drosophila melanogaster Cdk5 regulates basal autophagy, a key mechanism suppressing neurodegeneration. In a targeted screen, Cdk5 genetically interacted with Acinus (Acn), a primarily nuclear protein, which promotes starvation-independent, basal autophagy. Loss of Cdk5, or its required cofactor p35, reduces S437-Acn phosphorylation, whereas Cdk5 gain-of-function increases pS437-Acn levels. The phospho-mimetic S437D mutation stabilizes Acn and promotes basal autophagy. In p35 mutants, basal autophagy and lifespan are reduced, but restored to near wild-type levels in the presence of stabilized AcnS437D. Expression of aggregation-prone polyQ-containing proteins or the Amyloid-β42 peptide, but not alpha-Synuclein, enhances Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation of S437-Acn. Our data indicate that Cdk5 is required to maintain the protective role of basal autophagy in the initial responses to a subset of neurodegenerative challenges.

In Drosophila, AKT1 and the Dcp-1 caspase calibrate basal autophagy levels and cellular metabolism by regulating Acn stability.

With No Lysine kinase (WNK) signaling regulates mammalian renal epithelial ion transport to maintain electrolyte and BP homeostasis. Our previous studies showed a conserved role for WNK in the regulation of transepithelial ion transport in the Malpighian tubule. Using assays and transgenic lines, we examined two potential WNK regulators, chloride ion and the scaffold protein mouse protein 25 (Mo25), in the stimulation of transepithelial ion flux., autophosphorylation of purified WNK decreased as chloride concentration increased. In conditions in which tubule intracellular chloride concentration decreased from 30 to 15 mM as measured using a transgenic sensor, WNK activity acutely increased. WNK activity in tubules also increased or decreased when bath potassium concentration decreased or increased, respectively. However, a mutation that reduces chloride sensitivity of WNK failed to alter transepithelial ion transport in 30 mM chloride. We, therefore, examined a role for Mo25. In kinase assays, Mo25 enhanced the activity of the WNK downstream kinase Fray, the fly homolog of mammalian Ste20-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK), and oxidative stress-responsive 1 protein (OSR1). Knockdown of in the Malpighian tubule decreased transepithelial ion flux under stimulated but not basal conditions. Finally, whereas overexpression of wild-type , with or without, did not affect transepithelial ion transport, overexpressed with chloride-insensitive increased ion flux. Cooperative interactions between chloride and Mo25 regulate WNK signaling in a transporting renal epithelium.