# A Drosophila Model for the Regulation of Aerobic Glycolysis

> **NIH NIH R35** · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $58,420

## Abstract

Project Summary
The Tennessen Lab uses the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model to understand how carbohydrate
metabolism supports the biosynthetic and energetic demands of animal growth and development. Our ongoing
studies focus on a metabolic program known as the Warburg effect (aerobic glycolysis). This metabolic program
allows growing and proliferating cells to metabolize large quantities of glucose in order to generate biomass and
synthesize pro-growth signaling molecules. While aerobic glycolysis is most commonly associated with tumors,
where it promotes the growth and survival of cancer cells, healthy animal cells, such as stem cells and activated
T cells, also use this metabolic program to drive biosynthesis and regulate cell fate decisions. Therefore, basic
studies of aerobic glycolysis have the potential to not only identify metabolic mechanisms that could be targeted
to inhibit tumor growth but also to reveal how healthy cells manipulate glycolytic metabolism as a means of
supporting normal developmental growth. I have discovered that the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster also uses
aerobic glycolysis to promote growth and have established the fly as a model system for studying the genetic
mechanisms that regulate this metabolic program. An essential tool for studying metabolism is respirometry,
which provides measurements of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. These measurements,
when used in combination with metabolomics approaches, are essential for understanding how glycolytic flux is
balanced between biosynthesis and energy production in rapidly growing animal tissues. However, accurate
respirometry measurements in small animals such as fruit flies require specialized instrumentation. In this
proposal, I am requesting funds to purchase a Sable Systems Insect Respirometry System that is capable of
measuring both oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production from individual fruit flies. We previously
used a collaborators system to conduct our respirometry studies, however, this system is no longer available for
use by my lab. The Sable Systems Insect Respirometry System described in this proposal will significantly
enhance our ability to study how aerobic glycolysis promotes rapid growth in Drosophila larvae.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10389082
- **Project number:** 3R35GM119557-06S1
- **Recipient organization:** TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jason Michael Tennessen
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $58,420
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10389082

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10389082, A Drosophila Model for the Regulation of Aerobic Glycolysis (3R35GM119557-06S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10389082. Licensed CC0.

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