Developing zebrafish embryos (normal embryo, top; embryo missing MondoA, bottom) in which the cells are labelled with a fluorescent marker. The cells in the embryos with impaired MondoA function cannot move properly during a key stage in early embryo development. Image credit: Weger et al. (CC BY 4.0)
In most animals, a protein called MondoA closely monitors the amount of glucose in the body, as this type of sugar is the fuel required for many life processes. Glucose levels also act as a proxy for the availability of other important nutrients. Once MondoA has detected glucose molecules, it turns genetic programmes on and off depending on the needs of the cell. So far, these mechanisms have mainly been studied in adult cells.
However, recent studies have shown that proteins that monitor nutrient availability, and their associated pathways, can control early development. MondoA had not been studied in this context before, so Weger et al. decided to investigate its role in embryonic development. The experiments used embryos from zebrafish, a small freshwater fish whose early development is easily monitored and manipulated in the laboratory.
Inhibiting production of the MondoA protein in zebrafish embryos prevented them from maturing any further, stopping their development at an early key stage. This block was caused by defects in microtubules, the tubular molecules that act like a microscopic skeleton to provide structural support for cells and guide transport of cell components.
In addition, the pathway involved in the production of cholesterol and cholesterol-based hormones was far less active in embryos lacking MondoA. Treating MondoA-deficient embryos with one of these hormones corrected the microtubule defects and let the embryos progress to more advanced stages of development.
These results reveal that, during development, the glucose sensor MondoA also controls pathways involved in the creation of cholesterol and associated hormones. These new insights into the metabolic regulation of development could help to understand certain human conditions; for example, certain patients with defective cholesterol pathway genes also show developmental perturbations. In addition, the work highlights a biological link between cholesterol production and cellular responses to glucose, which Weger et al. hope could one day help to identify new cholesterol-lowering drugs.
