Excess glucose or fat differentially affects metabolism and appetite-related gene expression during zebrafish embryogenesis

Abstract

Zebrafish embryos use their yolk sac reserve as the sole nutrient source during embryogenesis. The two main forms of energy fuel can be found in the form of glucose or fat. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to glucose or injected with free fatty acid/Triacylglycerol (FFA/TAG) into the yolk sac at 24 hpf. At 72 hpf, glucose exposed or FFA/TAG injected had differential effects on gene expression in embryos, with fat activating lipolysis and β-oxidation and glucose activating the insulin pathway. Bulk RNA-seq revealed that more gene expression was affected by glucose exposure compared to FFA/TAGs injection. Appetite-controlling genes were also differently affected by glucose exposure or FFA/TAG injections. Because the embryo did not yet feed itself at the time of our analysis, gene expression changes occurred in absence of actual hunger and revealed how the embryo manages its nutrient intake before active feeding.