TY - JOUR

T1 - Knockdown-Induced Fasting Phenotypes in Flatworms: Insights into Underlying Mechanisms of Feeding Behaviour

AU - Бирюков, Михаил Юрьевич

AU - Dmitrieva, Anastasia

AU - Чепурнов, Григорий Юрьевич

AU - Задесенец, Кира Сергеевна

N1 - Knockdown-Induced Fasting Phenotypes in Flatworms: Insights into Underlying Mechanisms of Feeding Behavior / M. Biryukov, A. Dmitrieva, G. Chepurnov, K. S. Zadesenets // International Journal of Molecular Sciences. – 2025. – Vol. 26. - No. 24. – P. 11934. – DOI 10.3390/ijms262411934. – EDN QHQZDS. This research was funded by the Russian Science Foundation, grant number 24-24-00141 (https://rscf.ru/en/project/24-24-00141/ (accessed on 3 November 2025)).

PY - 2025/12/11

Y1 - 2025/12/11

N2 - The intestine is a multifunctional organ responsible for digestion, nutrient absorption, metabolic regulation, and innate immunity. In flatworms, recent studies have highlighted the importance of intestine-enriched genes expressed strongly in cells of the digestive tract. These genes are not only involved in digestion, nutrient uptake, transport, metabolism, and feeding behavior, but also in the modulating dynamics of stem cells (neoblasts). In Macrostomum lignano, the molecular mechanisms regulating interaction between digestive and neural processes remain poorly understood, as in other free-living flatworms. Therefore, identifying the genes required for intestinal integrity and feeding behavior is essential for understanding the underpinning mechanisms. In this study, we examined intestine-enriched candidate genes predicted to be involved in cell differentiation and maintenance of the intestine in M. lignano and whether the knockdown of these genes affects other tissues’ functioning. Using RNAi-mediated gene silencing, we identified four genes (kri1, wbp2nl, Mlig-tuf1, and Mlig-tuf2) whose knockdown causes pronounced phenotypes, including reduced feeding, fasting behavior, decreased body size and cell proliferation, low reproduction, and altered expression of an intestine-specific apob promoter. We have characterized their roles in intestinal homeostasis and neoblast dynamics and discussed potential mechanisms linking gene disruption to changes in feeding behavior.

AB - The intestine is a multifunctional organ responsible for digestion, nutrient absorption, metabolic regulation, and innate immunity. In flatworms, recent studies have highlighted the importance of intestine-enriched genes expressed strongly in cells of the digestive tract. These genes are not only involved in digestion, nutrient uptake, transport, metabolism, and feeding behavior, but also in the modulating dynamics of stem cells (neoblasts). In Macrostomum lignano, the molecular mechanisms regulating interaction between digestive and neural processes remain poorly understood, as in other free-living flatworms. Therefore, identifying the genes required for intestinal integrity and feeding behavior is essential for understanding the underpinning mechanisms. In this study, we examined intestine-enriched candidate genes predicted to be involved in cell differentiation and maintenance of the intestine in M. lignano and whether the knockdown of these genes affects other tissues’ functioning. Using RNAi-mediated gene silencing, we identified four genes (kri1, wbp2nl, Mlig-tuf1, and Mlig-tuf2) whose knockdown causes pronounced phenotypes, including reduced feeding, fasting behavior, decreased body size and cell proliferation, low reproduction, and altered expression of an intestine-specific apob promoter. We have characterized their roles in intestinal homeostasis and neoblast dynamics and discussed potential mechanisms linking gene disruption to changes in feeding behavior.

UR - https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=88165952

U2 - 10.3390/ijms262411934

DO - 10.3390/ijms262411934

M3 - Article

C2 - 41465363

VL - 26

JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences

JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences

SN - 1661-6596

IS - 24

M1 - 11934

ER -