Regulated necrosis occurs in pathologies such as cerebral stroke and myocardial infarction, however the underlying mechanisms and its physiological relevance remain unclear. Here, we report a role for p53 in regulating necrosis in Drosophila spermatogenesis. We found that Drosophila p53 is required for the programmed necrosis that occurs spontaneously in mitotic germ cells during spermatogenesis. Prevention of p53-dependent necrosis resulted in testicular hyperplasia, which was reversed by restoring necrosis in spermatogonia. Drosophila spermatogenesis will thus be a useful model to identify inducers of necrosis to treat cancers that are refractory to apoptosis.
