Vol. 7, Issue 4, Part B (2025)

Cells are in a constant state of adaptation to their surrounding environment and various stressors. The intricate mechanisms by which nutrient and stress levels influence cellular metabolism and growth are notably complex. This complexity arises from the necessity for organisms to respond swiftly and sensitively to their environmental conditions, whether they are experiencing abundance or scarcity. In addition to being essential for controlling autophagy, the highly conserved target of rapamycin complex1 is also essential for controlling eukaryotic cell development and reacting to a variety of stimuli, including as nutrition, hormones, and stressors. The elements that function upstream of TORC1 in this pathway have received a lot of attention lately. In this Commentary, we focus on the multiprotein SEA complex, commonly known as GATOR, a significant recently discovered upstream regulator of TORC1. The structural and functional properties of the yeast complex and its human equivalent will be discussed, along with their functions in controlling the TORC1 pathway and non-TORC1 activities. We will also talk about how GATOR dysregulation affects cancer and other illnesses.