Characterization of genetic and molecular tools for studying the endogenous expression of Lactate dehydrogenase in Drosophila melanogaster

• Published in: bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
• Main Authors: Rai, Madhulika, Carter, Sarah M, Shefali, Shefali A, Chawla, Geetanjali, Tennessen, Jason M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 23.06.2023

larval development relies on a specialized metabolic state that utilizes carbohydrates and other dietary nutrients to promote rapid growth. One unique feature of the larval metabolic program is that Lactate Dehydrogenase (Ldh) activity is highly elevated during this growth phase when compared to other stages of the fly life cycle, indicating that Ldh serves a key role in promoting juvenile development. Previous studies of larval Ldh activity have largely focused on the function of this enzyme at the whole animal level, however, expression varies significantly among larval tissues, raising the question of how this enzyme promotes tissue-specific growth programs. Here we characterize two transgene reporters and an antibody that can be used to study expression . We find that all three tools produce similar expression patterns. Moreover, these reagents demonstrate that the larval expression pattern is complex, suggesting the purpose of this enzyme varies across cell types. Overall, our studies validate a series of genetic and molecular reagents that can be used to study glycolytic metabolism in the fly.