A genetic screen for modifiers of the lats tumor suppressor gene identifies C-terminal Src kinase as a regulator of cell proliferation in Drosophila.

Disrupting mechanisms that control cell proliferation, cell size and apoptosis can cause changes in animal and tissue size and contribute to diseases such as cancer. The LATS family of serine/threonine kinases control tissue size by regulating cell proliferation and function as tumor suppressor genes in both Drosophila and mammals. In order to understand the role of lats in size regulation, we performed a genetic modifier screen in Drosophila to identify components of the lats signaling pathway.