Multiple amino acid sensing inputs to mTORC1.

The evolutionarily conserved target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) is a master regulator of cell growth and metabolism. In mammals, growth factors and cellular energy stimulate mTORC1 activity through inhibition of the TSC complex (TSC1-TSC2-TBC1D7), a negative regulator of mTORC1. Amino acids signal to mTORC1 independently of the TSC complex. Here, we review recently identified regulators that link amino acid sufficiency to mTORC1 activity and how mutations affecting these regulators cause human disease.