1. Rheb is an essential regulator of S6K in controlling cell growth in Drosophila.
- Author
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Stocker, Hugo, Radimerski, Thomas, Schindelholz, Benno, Wittwer, Franz, Belawat, Priyanka, Daram, Pierre, Breuer, Sebastian, Thomas, George, and Hafen, Ernst
- Subjects
GUANOSINE triphosphatase ,PROTEIN kinases ,CELL growth ,DROSOPHILA melanogaster - Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms through which multicellular organisms regulate cell, organ and body growth is of relevance to developmental biology and to research on growth-related diseases such as cancer. Here we describe a new effector in growth control, the small GTPase Rheb (Ras homologue enriched in brain). Mutations in the Drosophila melanogaster Rheb gene were isolated as growth-inhibitors, whereas overexpression of Rheb promoted cell growth. Our genetic and biochemical analyses suggest that Rheb functions downstream of the tumour suppressors Tsc1 (tuberous sclerosis 1)-Tsc2 in the TOR (target of rapamycin) signalling pathway to control growth, and that a major effector of Rheb function is ribosomal S6 kinase (S6K). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2003
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