Large-scale omics analyses of nutrition-responsive mechanisms of female germline stem cell proliferation and maintenance in Drosophila melanogaster.

Female germline stem cells (fGSCs) are essential for generating mature oocytes. In general, self-renewal and differentiation of fGSCs into germ cells are regulated by niche signals from neighboring niche cells. In addition, fGSCs and their niche cells are greatly influenced by physiological and environmental factors, especially nutritional status. To clarify molecular mechanisms involved in regulating fGSC proliferation and maintenance, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has served as an excellent genetic model organism. In recent years, along with sophisticated genetic tools for D. melanogaster, large-scale transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome analyses have provided new insights into D. melanogaster fGSC biology. These large-scale analyses have identified new markers and regulators for D. melanogaster fGSCs, including Netrin-A, Helical factor, eggplant, Gr43a, and genes controlling the polyol pathway, some of which are involved in nutrient-responsive control of fGSC behavior.