Tissue-specific steroid hormone-regulated secretion of proteins in Drosophila melanogaster salivary glands - molecular and genetic aspects: A review.

Authors

Robert Farkas, Denisa Benova-Liszekova, Milan Beno

Published in

Endocrine regulations. Volume 60. Issue 1. Pages 135-147. Jan 01, 2026. Epub Jul 05, 2026.

Abstract

Larval salivary glands (SGs) of Drosophila melanogaster (further Drosophila) are classical and well-known system, in which steroid hormone ecdysone controlling metamorphosis activates sequence of genes or transcriptional cascade that leads to formation distinct groups of puffs in polytene chromosomes and shortly prior to pupariation to release of unique glue that affix freshly formed puparium to the substrate. Although this system was studied since 1950s and most intensely during 1970s and 1980s, there are still several less known and unappreciated aspects, which deserve special attention. Some functional links between visible puffing and other active genes that do not form puffs are still missing. Production and formation of large secretory granules that are supposed to contain so-called Sgs-material that is secreted upon sturdy increase in ecdysone pulse require plethora of additional and supportive activities of SG cells that were not previously considered to be under direct hormonal control or considered at all. Although some of these physiological processes may appear to be hormone-independent and takes place because all necessary components of particular machinery are already present, there are several other processes that need be coordinated with early, mid or later phase of the ecdysone response and therefore they deserve special attention to fill the gaps. After detailed description of well studies model of Sgs-genes and their hormonal regulation, we tried to integrate this knowledge to a broader context of more advanced and current studies in Drosophila organism or cell lines using whole-genomic approach provided that functional and physiological information is conceptually included. After general introduction to the system, this review is committed to sketch functional and logical connections to processes that are conditionally required to fulfill SG organ-specific function but so far were out of the major research focus.

PMID:
42406094
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 06 Jul 2026.

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