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Updated: Feb 18, 2026
Tumor Allotransplantation in Drosophila melanogaster with a Programmable Auto-Nanoliter Injector
Published on: February 2, 2021
Function of Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein in Organ Growth: Lessons from Drosophila Studies
Kwang-Wook Choi1, Sung-Tae Hong2, Thao Phuong Le3
1Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea. kchoi100@kaist.ac.kr.
Abstract:
Regulation of cell growth and proliferation is crucial for development and function of organs in all animals. Genetic defects in growth control can lead to developmental disorders and cancers. Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is a family of evolutionarily conserved proteins implicated in cancer. Recent studies have revealed multiple roles of TCTP in diverse cellular events, but TCTP functions in vivo are poorly understood in vertebrate systems. We have used Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, as a model organism for genetic dissection of Tctp function. Our studies have shown that Tctp is essential for organ development by regulating growth signaling. Furthermore, it is required for genome stability by promoting DNA repair and chromatin remodeling in the nucleus. Thus, Tctp acts as a multifaceted cytosolic and nuclear factor for regulating organ growth and genome stability. In this chapter, we describe an overview of our findings on Tctp functions in Drosophila and discuss their implications in cancer.
Insights
Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is vital for organ development and genome stability. This study reveals TCTP
Area of Science:
- Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics and Genomics
Background:
- Cell growth and proliferation are fundamental to organ development and function.
- Dysregulation of cell growth contributes to developmental disorders and cancer.
- Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is implicated in cancer, but its in vivo functions, especially in vertebrates, remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To genetically dissect the in vivo functions of Tctp using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism.
- To elucidate the roles of Tctp in organ development and genome stability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Drosophila melanogaster as a model system for genetic analysis.
- Investigated Tctp function through genetic dissection of its roles in development and cellular processes.
Main Results:
- Tctp is essential for organ development, primarily by regulating growth signaling pathways.
- Tctp plays a critical role in maintaining genome stability through DNA repair and chromatin remodeling.
- Tctp functions as a dual cytosolic and nuclear factor.
Conclusions:
- Tctp is a multifaceted protein crucial for both organ growth regulation and genome integrity in vivo.
- Findings in Drosophila provide insights into Tctp's roles and implications in human cancer.
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