Molecular Cell
Volume 39, Issue 2, 30 July 2010, Pages 171-183
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Article
Activation of a Metabolic Gene Regulatory Network Downstream of mTOR Complex 1

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Summary

Aberrant activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a common molecular event in a variety of pathological settings, including genetic tumor syndromes, cancer, and obesity. However, the cell-intrinsic consequences of mTORC1 activation remain poorly defined. Through a combination of unbiased genomic, metabolomic, and bioinformatic approaches, we demonstrate that mTORC1 activation is sufficient to stimulate specific metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, the oxidative arm of the pentose phosphate pathway, and de novo lipid biosynthesis. This is achieved through the activation of a transcriptional program affecting metabolic gene targets of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF1α) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP1 and SREBP2). We find that SREBP1 and 2 promote proliferation downstream of mTORC1, and the activation of these transcription factors is mediated by S6K1. Therefore, in addition to promoting protein synthesis, mTORC1 activates specific bioenergetic and anabolic cellular processes that are likely to contribute to human physiology and disease.

Highlights

► Unbiased genomic and metabolomic approaches to reveal downstream functions of mTORC1 ► mTORC1 stimulates glucose uptake and glycolysis through HIF1 ► mTORC1 stimulates the pentose phosphate pathway and lipid biosynthesis through SREBP1 ► S6K1 regulates SREBP1 processing and transcriptional activation of target genes

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Cited by (0)

5

These authors contributed equally to this work

6

These authors contributed equally to this work

7

Present address: Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA

8

Present address: Laboratory of Systems Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA