Metabolism News and Research

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Metabolism is the means by which the body derives energy and synthesizes the other molecules it needs from the fats, carbohydrates and proteins we eat as food, by enzymatic reactions helped by minerals and vitamins.

Investigating the Link Between Metabolism and Intestinal Development

Intestines can reach a length of 15 feet or more; how does it fit within human bodies properly? The gut tube dramatically loops and rotates to bundle the extending intestine as the digestive system grows. Intestinal malrotation is a common, but poorly understood, birth defect caused by the failure of the gut to rotate correctly during development.

20 Feb 2024

The Surprising Link Between Tea Quality and Root Bacteria

The type of tea used to make a fine cup of tea will significantly impact its flavor. However, a study published in the journal Current Biology reveals that the collection of bacteria found on tea roots is another essential component needed to make a great cup of tea.

16 Feb 2024

The Role of Ancient Retroviruses in Vertebrate Brain Evolution

According to a study published in the journal Cell, ancient viruses may have contributed to the development of myelin and, consequently, the large, complex brains.

16 Feb 2024

Honey Bees Show Remarkable Heat Tolerance with Metabolic Adjustments

A University of Wyoming scientist’s research has shown that honey bees carrying nectar have the amazing ability to modify their flight behavior to prevent overheating when air temperatures rise.

14 Feb 2024

Bacteria Arrangement in Biofilm Influences Reaction to Antibiotics

Although bacteria are typically thought of as single-celled creatures suspended in liquids or dispersed sparsely across surfaces, their true mode of growth is in sticky clusters known as biofilms in many settings.

5 Feb 2024

Promising Drug Offers Hope for Overcoming Resistance to Protein Degraders

Protein degraders, a novel approach in drug discovery, show promise to tackle diseases previously thought to be untreatable.

31 Jan 2024

Study Shows How Obesity Causes Mitochondrial Fragmentation in Fat Cells

The number of people with obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, resulting in a worldwide epidemic.

30 Jan 2024

Blockchain Fuels Search for Origins of Metabolism

Researchers from the Korea Institute for Basic Science and the Polish Academy of Sciences have utilized blockchain technology to simulate prebiotic chemical reactions on early Earth.

25 Jan 2024

New Virus Targets Dormant Bacteria, Boosting Antibiotic Power

In nature, the majority of bacteria adhere to a minimalistic lifestyle. When faced with nutrient scarcity or stress, they initiate a controlled shutdown of their metabolism, entering a resting state.

22 Jan 2024

Genome-Wide Study Identifies Gene Pair Crucial for Regulating Blood Vessel Disease in the Lungs

University of Pittsburgh Schools of Medicine researchers uncovered a fundamental mechanism that controls the body's response to limited oxygen and regulates blood vessel disease of the lung.

16 Jan 2024

Breakthrough 3D Vascular Sheet Mimics Atherosclerosis for High-Throughput Drug Screening

A groundbreaking 3D, three-layer nanomatrix vascular sheet that possesses multiple features of atherosclerosis has been applied for developing a high-throughput functional assay of drug candidates to treat this disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers report in the journal Biomaterials.

16 Jan 2024

Bacterial “Barcode” Deciphers the Fate of Proteins, Impacting Pathogen Behavior

Researchers at McMaster University have found a molecular “barcode” system that pathogenic bacteria use to identify harmful from beneficial molecules.

9 Jan 2024

Largest Gestational Diabetes Study Reveals 9 New Genetic Regions

The largest genetic study of gestational diabetes to date has led to a discovery of nine novel genetic regions linked to this severe and common pregnancy complication.

8 Jan 2024

Engineering Plants to Fight Disease with Friendly Bacteria

For the first time, scientists have modified the plant microbiome to increase the amount of “good” bacteria that shield the plant from harm.

8 Jan 2024

B12-Producing Gut Bacteria Modulate Neurotransmitter Levels and Reduce Seizures in C. elegans

A new study published in Nature Cell Biology by Mark Alkema, PhD, professor of neurobiology, establishes an important molecular link between specific B12-producing bacteria in the gut of the roundworm C. elegans and the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important to memory and cognitive function.

5 Jan 2024

Mechanism of Pathogenic Fungus Aspergillus fumigatus Unveiled

An international team of researchers, led by Professor Gustavo Goldman of the University of São Paulo and Maynooth University's Dr Özgür Bayram, has unveiled ground-breaking findings on Aspergillus fumigatus, which can cause deadly disease in humans.

5 Jan 2024

Elucidating the Adaptive Genetic Mechanisms of Chiridota heheva in Hydrothermal Environments

Animals are unlikely to thrive in hydrothermal vents because of their harsh chemistry, which includes an acidic pH and a high concentration of methane and sulfur.

4 Jan 2024

Zipping Up Chromosomes: The Synaptonemal Complex Revealed

We have two copies of each chromosome in every cell in our bodies except in our reproductive cells. Sperm and egg cells contain a single copy of each chromosome with a unique mix of genes from our parents, an evolutionary trick to give our offspring genetic variability.

4 Jan 2024

Breakthrough in Synthetic Biology: Researchers Build Artificial CO2-Fixing Pathway

Synthetic biology offers the opportunity to build biochemical pathways for the capture and conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2).

3 Jan 2024

Study Provides a Systematic View of the Diversity and Function of Supraglacial DNA Viruses

Supraglacial environments mainly consist of four main types of habitats for microbes and viruses, including snow, ice, meltwater, and cryoconites (the granular sediment on glacier surfaces).

2 Jan 2024