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A hexa-species transcriptome atlas of mammalian embryogenesis delineates metabolic regulation across three different implantation modes

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Malkowska, Anna 
Penfold, Christopher  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5823-4705
Boroviak, Thorsten 

Abstract

Mammalian embryogenesis relies on glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation to balance the generation of biomass with energy production. However, the dynamics of metabolic regulation in the postimplantation embryo in vivo have remained elusive due to the inaccessibility of the implanted conceptus for biochemical studies. To address this issue, we compiled single-cell embryo profiling data in six mammalian species and determined their metabolic dynamics through glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation associated gene expression. Strikingly, we identify a conserved switch from bivalent respiration in the late blastocyst towards a glycolytic metabolism in early gastrulation stages across species, which is independent of embryo implantation. Extraembryonic lineages followed the dynamics of the embryonic lineage, except visceral endoderm. Finally, we demonstrate that in vitro primate embryo culture substantially impacts metabolic gene regulation by comparison to in vivo samples. Our work reveals a conserved metabolic programme despite different implantation modes and highlights the need to optimise postimplantation embryo culture protocols.

Description

Keywords

Journal Title

Nature Communications

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

Publisher

Nature Research
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (206684/Z/17/Z)