Integrated Transcriptomics and Proteomics Study of Starvation Selected Drosophila Melanogaster

Drosophila melanogaster, selected for starvation resistance exhibits phenotypic traits such as increased body size, slower development, reduced fecundity and obesity like characteristics including higher lipid reserves and cardiac dysfunction. While prior studies have explored the metabolic and biochemical changes in these flies, the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the gene expression and protein abundance in starvation-selected Drosophila through RNAseq, proteomics, and integrating both datasets using the MixOmics package in R. I found differential gene expression in the fat body at the third instar larval stage, particularly in pathways related to lipid metabolism, calcium signaling, and immune regulation, with a potential role for long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Proteomic analysis identified several differentially abundant proteins related to mitochondrial form and function, and energy homeostasis. Though there was a modest correlation of the datasets, the integration of two suggested a robust activation of metabolic pathways promoting energy storage. The mixomics identified transcription factor gene SREBP and Idh as a key player of lipid metabolsim in Drosophila. This study highlights the potential of multiomics integration to understand various complex physiologies and metabolic disorders.