Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33617535›Full record

ArticlePLoS genetics2021

RNA-binding protein syncrip regulates starvation-induced hyperactivity in adult Drosophila.

Wanhao Chi, Wei Liu, Wenqin Fu, Shengqian Xia, Ellie S Heckscher, Xiaoxi Zhuang

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS genetics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 37% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Wanhao ChiCommittee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-6879-7018
Wei LiuDepartment of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
Wenqin FuDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
Shengqian XiaDepartment of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-9264-3649
Ellie S HeckscherCommittee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-7618-0616
Xiaoxi ZhuangCommittee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-6825-3221
University of Chicago · USChina Medical University · CN

Funding

Integrative Training in the Neurobiology of Addictive BehaviorsT32DA043469 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · PI Donald Hedeker, Xiaoxi Zhuang · 2017 to 2026
$3.8M
Training in Emerging Multidisciplinary Approaches to Mental Health and DiseaseT32MH020065 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · PI NICOLAE, DAN LIVIU, RZHETSKY, ANDREY · 2002 to 2017
$2.3M
Development of neuronal circuits for innate behaviorR01NS105748 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · PI HECKSCHER, ELIZABETH (ELLIE) S · 2018 to 2022
$1.7M
Genomic analysis of feeding behavior and fitness in DrosophilaR01GM100768 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · PI LONG, MANYUAN, ZHUANG, XIAOXI · 2012 to 2015
$1.6M
NIDA NIH HHS T32 DA043469NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM100768NIMH NIH HHS T32 MH020065NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS105748
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

How to respond to starvation determines fitness. One prominent behavioral response is increased locomotor activities upon starvation, also known as Starvation-Induced Hyperactivity (SIH). SIH is paradoxical as it promotes food seeking but also increases energy expenditure. Despite its importance in fitness, the genetic contributions to SIH as a behavioral trait remains unexplored. Here, we examined SIH in the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) and performed genome-wide association studies. We identified 23 significant loci, corresponding to 14 genes, significantly associated with SIH in adult Drosophila. Gene enrichment analyses indicated that genes encoding ion channels and mRNA binding proteins (RBPs) were most enriched in SIH. We are especially interested in RBPs because they provide a potential mechanism to quickly change protein expression in response to environmental challenges. Using RNA interference, we validated the role of syp in regulating SIH. syp encodes Syncrip (Syp), an RBP. While ubiquitous knockdown of syp led to semi-lethality in adult flies, adult flies with neuron-specific syp knockdown were viable and exhibited decreased SIH. Using the Temporal and Regional Gene Expression Targeting (TARGET) system, we further confirmed the role of Syp in adult neurons in regulating SIH. To determine how syp is regulated by starvation, we performed RNA-seq using the heads of flies maintained under either food or starvation conditions. RNA-seq analyses revealed that syp was alternatively spliced under starvation while its expression level was unchanged. We further generated an alternatively-spliced-exon-specific knockout (KO) line and found that KO flies showed reduced SIH. Together, this study demonstrates a significant genetic contribution to SIH as a behavioral trait, identifies syp as a SIH gene, and highlights the significance of RBPs and post-transcriptional processes in the brain in regulating behavioral responses to starvation.

Indexed as

StarvationAllelesAlternative SplicingAnimalsDrosophila melanogasterDrosophila ProteinsEnergy MetabolismGene Expression RegulationGene FrequencyGenome-Wide Association StudyLocomotionMaleNeuronsPolymorphism, Single NucleotideRNA-Binding ProteinsRNA InterferenceDrosophila ProteinsRNA-Binding ProteinsSyp protein, Drosophila

Identifiers

PMID33617535
PMCPMC7932510
OpenAlexW3132672612

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.