MitoZebra · Activation of mitochondria during embryogenesis
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-09-01 → 2023-08-31
- EU contribution
- €186,167
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Activation of mitochondria during embryogenesis
Energy homeostasis is important for development, and mitochondria play a crucial role in its regulation. Mitochondria are only maternally inherited; their dysfunction has been linked to infertility and developmental disorders. An increasing number of women who have metabolic disorders such as diabetes or obesity are turning to IVF (in vitro fertilization) clinics to mitigate the adverse metabolic effects of mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, advances in studying mitochondria during embryogenesis promise to provide novel avenues for the development of therapies and potential disease prevention. Despite decades of research into mitochondrial functions, it remains unclear how the respiratory chain is activated during embryogenesis. Here we addressed these question by systematically investigating the mitochondrial activation during embryogenesis using zebrafish as a model system. We showed that mitochondrial activation replicates findings in other species, which establishes zebrafish as a great model for studying mitochondrial biology in vertebrate development due to its external fertilization and accessibility of embryos. Furthermore, analysis of protein changes during development allowed us to identify two potential mechanisms of mitochondrial activation during development that we are currently exploring.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Mitochondria are well known as the powerhouse of cells and play a vital role in embryo development regulating energyhomeostasis. Mitochondrial function has been studied for decades, although several aspects of mitochondrial metabolism duringdevelopment still remain unclear. Which mechanisms are responsible for the continuous increase in respiratory chain activity duringembryogenesis? How does translational activity in the early embryo contribute to this process, and how is the translational activity inmitochondria coordinated with the translational activity in the cytoplasm?In my project, I will investigate mechanisms that underlie the increase in mitochondrial energy production during embryogenesis.Using zebrafish embryos as a model system for vertebrate development, I propose to measure mitochondrial translational activitywith de novo translation assays and assess its contribution to the assembly of new respiratory chain complexes. Also, I will explorethe largely enigmatic mechanism of the co-regulation of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial translation.My research will provide novel insights into the universal yet poorly understood mechanisms that activate mitochondrial functionafter fertilization. Since in the early embryo nucleus is transcriptionally inactive, my work has the potential to discover novel,transcription-independent feedback-mechanisms that balance mitochondrial and cytoplasmic translations.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUR MOLEKULARE PATHOLOGIE GESELLSCHAFT MBH · WienCoordinatorAustria
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union