Musashi expression in intestinal stem cells attenuates radiation-induced decline in intestinal homeostasis and survival in Drosophila

Exposure to genotoxic stress by environmental agents or treatments, such as radiation therapy, can diminish health span and accelerate aging. We have developed a Drosophila melanogaster model to study the molecular effects of radiation-induced damage and repair. Utilizing a quantitative intestinal permeability assay, we performed an unbiased GWAS screen (using ∼150 strains from the DGRP reference panel) to search for natural genetic variants that regulate radiation-induced gut permeability. From this screen, we identified the RNA binding protein, Musashi (msi).Msi overexpression promoted intestinal stem cell proliferation, which increased survival after irradiation and rescued radiation-induced gut permeability. We identified that a novel role of Msi in ISC proliferation a novel role for Msi in enhancing ISC function following radiation-induced gut damage, which identifies Msi as a potential therapeutic target.