{
  "abstract": "Prions, once mainly studied for their pathogenic roles, are now gaining recognition as adaptive elements in microbial physiology. Over one-third of wild yeast isolates harbor prion proteins, yet their impact on host-microbe interactions remains poorly characterized. Given the ecological dominance of yeasts in the Drosophila mycobiome, we leveraged the Drosophila melanogaster-Saccharomyces cerevisiae system to investigate how the mycobiome-derived prion, [MRPL10+], modulates host physiology. We show that flies exposed to [MRPL10+] yeast exhibit significantly enhanced cold tolerance and increased locomotor activity. This effect persists with heat-killed yeast and diluted culture, suggesting a stable, potent bioactive factor. Using the genetically diverse Drosophila Global Diversity Lines (GDL), we identified natural variation in responsiveness to [MRPL10+] yeast. Genome-wide association and functional RNAi screening revealed a gut-brain signaling axis involving genes critical for digestion, intercellular communication, transcription regulation, and neural transmission. Notably, serotonin and octopamine pathways were essential for [MRPL10+]-induced changes in cold tolerance and locomotion, implicating neuromodulatory circuits in prion-mediated microbial signaling. Our findings establish a mechanistic link between a fungal prion and host metabolic and neural adaptation. This work provides the first genetic dissection of a prion-mediated host-microbe interaction, laying the groundwork for investigating beneficial prions in complex microbial communities and highlighting a new dimension of the mycobiomes influence on animal physiology.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Cornell University"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "A. G. Clark"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Y. Jiang"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. D. Chitale"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Cosgrove"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Van Elgort"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. M. Jain"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. C. Kelso"
    },
    {
      "name": "X. Cui"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. Yapici"
    },
    {
      "name": "C.-c. Lin"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cjmjqt0j51nnj.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.08.26.747210",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.26.747210v1.full",
  "id": "cjmjqt0j51nnj",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.26.747210v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "evolutionary biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2804|Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204909719",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.26.747210v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-26",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cjmjqt0j51nnj.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:57Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.08.26.747210",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.26.747210v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:evolutionary biology",
      "subfield": "evolutionary-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Cross-Kingdom Control: Yeast Prion Protein Modulates Host Physiology in Drosophila",
  "title_text": "Cross-Kingdom Control: Yeast Prion Protein Modulates Host Physiology in Drosophila",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:57Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cjmjqt0j51nnj",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}