Spalt-related is an inhibitor of mTORC1-mediated growth activated by the integrated stress response

Deniz O, Liu Y, Kirkinen T, Kokki K, Gaertner K, Clavell-Revelles P, Mattila J, Hietakangas V · 2026 · The EMBO Journal · Atlas ID DEN2026

What this study shows

Transcription factor Spalt-related (Salr) is a novel mTORC1 inhibitor in Drosophila activated by the integrated stress response, restricting anabolic growth and lipid storage during nutrient stress. Salr responds to a distinct, ISR-driven cue, acting convergently with FoxO rather than downstream of it.

Abstract

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Anabolic and catabolic processes are coordinated by a conserved regulatory network including mTORC1 and FoxO. Spalt-related (Salr), previously implicated in organogenesis, is identified as a negative regulator of growth and lipid storage in Drosophila. Salr activates catabolic gene expression and restricts mTORC1-mediated cell growth in the fat body. Salr is activated in a slow and sustained manner through the integrated stress response, distinct from transient FoxO activation. Once activated, Salr counters nuclear localization of FoxO.

Read the full abstract on PubMed →

At a glance

Evidence type	A Animal model Marked A because it is an animal intervention or observation study measuring an organismal outcome (model: Drosophila melanogaster); the code names the system studied -- animal work can be rigorous and still not be human data.
Study type	4 - Animal Study
Model system	Drosophila melanogaster
Journal	The EMBO Journal
Year	2026
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-07-29
Source	DOI 10.1038/s44318-026-00858-1 · PMID 42436355

Extracted findings

These fields were extracted from the paper with AI assistance and have not been checked against the source. Read them as a pointer into the paper, not as curated claims; where they disagree with the curated summary above, the curated summary stands.

Intervention	Integrated stress response activation (genetic)
Target	mTORC1 / Spalt-related (Salr) / FoxO
Model	Drosophila melanogaster
Effect	Inhibition of mTORC1-mediated cell growth; activation of catabolic gene expression; restriction of lipid storage

In the Atlas

Links in the pathway map

Supports Integrated stress response activates Spalt-related (Salr)
Supports Spalt-related (Salr) inhibits mTORC1

Cite this paper

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Deniz, O., Liu, Y., Kirkinen, T., Kokki, K., Gaertner, K., Clavell-Revelles, P., Mattila, J., & Hietakangas, V. (2026). Spalt-related is an inhibitor of mTORC1-mediated growth activated by the integrated stress response. The EMBO Journal. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44318-026-00858-1

@article{DEN2026,
  author       = {Deniz, O. and Liu, Y. and Kirkinen, T. and Kokki, K. and Gaertner, K. and Clavell-Revelles, P. and Mattila, J. and Hietakangas, V.},
  title        = {{Spalt-related is an inhibitor of mTORC1-mediated growth activated by the integrated stress response}},
  journal      = {The EMBO Journal},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {10.1038/s44318-026-00858-1},
  note         = {PMID: 42436355},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper.

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record DEN2026) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/DEN2026/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_DEN2026,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record DEN2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/DEN2026/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}

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