Abstract: P-element induced wimpy testis (Piwi) is a kind of reproduction-related protein, which is mainly expressed in the reproductive system and plays a very important role in the formation of germ cells and the maintenance of DNA integrity and stability. However, the functions of Piwi protein in other systems are still unclear. In this paper, the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster, was used for exploration, and it was found that the reduced expression of the Piwi in the fat body led to problems in emergence rate, growth cycle and life span of Drosophila melanogaster, and the function of the fat body was seriously affected, indicating that the expression of Piwi protein in the fat body was necessary for the growth and development of Drosophila melanogaster. Further studies showed that the knockdown of Piwi gene in fat body caused a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which interfered with the storage function of fat body cells, thus affecting the growth and development of Drosophila melanogaster. This study provides a new way to identify the new function of Piwi in the fat body and is valuable for the treatment of related diseases.
Keywords: Drosophila melanogaster; Piwi gene; fat body; reactive oxygen species(ROS)