While a balanced intake of macronutrients — carbohydrates, fats, and proteins — is essential for metabolic homeostasis, animals need higher protein intake during critical life stages like pregnancy. A recent paper in Cell by Wu et al. introduces the novel concept of adjusting protein intake setpoints based on sex and mating status, using two opposing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathways that regulate protein appetite-controlling neurons in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.

中文翻译：

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微调蛋白质饥饿：性别和交配依赖性设定点控制

虽然均衡摄入大量营养素（碳水化合物、脂肪和蛋白质） 对于代谢稳态至关重要，但动物在怀孕等关键生命阶段需要更高的蛋白质摄入量。 Wu 等人最近在 Cell 上发表的一篇论文介绍了根据性别和交配状态调整蛋白质摄入量设定点的新概念，使用两个相反的 G 蛋白偶联受体 （GPCR） 信号通路来调节果蝇黑腹果蝇的蛋白质食欲控制神经元。