Acts as a tissue-autonomous lipid modulator, preventing ectopic lipid accumulation in salivary gland (a non-adipose tissue) and in promoting lipid storage in fat tissue (PubMed:21533227). Required for the growth and maturation of small nascent lipid droplets (LDs) into larger mature LDs (PubMed:27564575). Localizes at endoplasmic reticulum-lipid droplets (ER-LD) contact sites. Widely expressed, with highest levels detected in fat body, moderate levels detected in salivary gland, midgut and muscle, and weak expression detected in brain. At late embryonic stages, highly expressed in hindgut. At larval stages, expression detected in fat body, anterior midgut and salivary gland. Flies are viable and fertile with no noticeable behavior defects, but display reduced average weight. The size of the lipid droplets in larval fat bodies and the fat cells of young adults is significantly reduced, but exhibit ectopic lipid droplets in salivary gland and gut. Flies also display greatly reduced total glyceride levels and hypersensitivity to starvation.