Abstract 1434 Distinct nucleotide metabolism fluctuations define pluripotent stem cell fate transitions

Changes in metabolite levels and fluxes help determine whether human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) self-renew or differentiate. hPSC differentiation begins with the loss of pluripotency and the activation of transcription factors that determine ectoderm, endoderm, or mesoderm primary germ lineages. Our recent findings reveal that after exiting pluripotency, each lineage depends differentially on glutamine (Gln) for cell fate transitions. Uniquely, in ectoderm adequate acquired or generated Gln levels provide an essential fate-specifying signal that activates mTORC1 during the initial 14 hours of differentiation.