TOR Complexes and the Maintenance of Cellular Homeostasis

Sandra Eltschinger; Robbie Loewith

doi:10.1016/j.tcb.2015.10.003

TOR Complexes and the Maintenance of Cellular Homeostasis

Trends Cell Biol. 2016 Feb;26(2):148-159. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2015.10.003. Epub 2015 Nov 4.

Authors

Sandra Eltschinger¹, Robbie Loewith²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; iGE3 Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
² Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; iGE3 Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; National Centre for Competence in Research in Chemical Biology, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: Robbie.Loewith@unige.ch.

PMID: 26546292
DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2015.10.003

Abstract

The Target of Rapamycin (TOR) is a conserved serine/threonine (ser/thr) kinase that functions in two, distinct, multiprotein complexes called TORC1 and TORC2. Each complex regulates different aspects of eukaryote growth: TORC1 regulates cell volume and/or mass by influencing protein synthesis and turnover, while TORC2, as detailed in this review, regulates cell surface area by influencing lipid production and intracellular turgor. TOR complexes function in feedback loops, implying that downstream effectors are also likely to be involved in upstream regulation. In this regard, the notion that TORCs function primarily as mediators of cellular and organismal homeostasis is fundamentally different from the current, predominate view of TOR as a direct transducer of extracellular biotic and abiotic signals.

Keywords: Target Of Rapamycin (TOR); eisosome; growth; homeostasis; membrane tension; osmotic control; sphingolipid.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Cell Physiological Phenomena*
Cell Size
Homeostasis* / genetics
Humans
Lipid Metabolism / physiology
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2
Multiprotein Complexes / physiology*
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / physiology*
Yeasts

Substances

Multiprotein Complexes
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases