Control of cell fate by metabolic intermediates

In this virtual event, researchers describe how metabolic disruptions determine a cell’s developmental fate. In Lafora disease, mutations in one of two glycogen-metabolism proteins cause a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. In triple-negative breast cancer, hypoxia, metabolic acidosis and oxidative stress in the tumor microenvironment downregulate a tumor suppressor, leading to metastasis. In the developing kidney, inhibition of the glycolysis or cholesterol biosynthesis pathways pushes progenitor cells toward differentiation.

The talks in this virtual event were originally programmed to take place as an in-person Spotlight Session at the 2020 ASBMB Annual Meeting.