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.

Unlocking the Secrets of Lignin Digestion in Soil Microbes

For years, scientists have marveled at bacteria's ability to digest the seemingly indigestible, including carbon from lignin, the tough, woody material that gives plants their rigidity.

3 Sep 2025

Cornell Study Reveals Early Genetic Differences Between Male and Female Embryos

Cornell researchers have uncovered the genetic triggers that cause male and female bovine embryos to develop differently, as early as seven to eight days after fertilization.

1 Sep 2025

Discovery of CHP1 Protein Reveals New Insights Into Fat Metabolism

UNSW research has shed light on how cells in the body manage and store fat, potentially offering new insights into health.

29 Aug 2025

Scientists Discover New Microbial Metabolism That Breathes Iron Minerals

An international team of scientists led by microbiologists Marc Mussmann and Alexander Loy from the University of Vienna has discovered a new microbial metabolism: so-called MISO bacteria "breathe" iron minerals by oxidizing toxic sulfide.

28 Aug 2025

Study Uncovers Connection Between Neuronal Overactivation and Parkinson’s Disease

Certain brain cells are responsible for coordinating smooth, controlled movements of the body. But when those cells are constantly overactivated for weeks on end, they degenerate and ultimately die.

28 Aug 2025

Breakthrough Research Reveals Pathway to Early Protein Synthesis

Chemists at UCL have shown how two of biology's most fundamental ingredients, RNA (ribonucleic acid) and amino acids, could have spontaneously joined together at the origin of life four billion years ago.

28 Aug 2025

Genes and Diet Work Together to Regulate the Liver’s Circadian Clock

Our bodies follow a natural 24-hour cycle known as the circadian rhythm that influences everything from sleep to metabolism.

27 Aug 2025

How Bacillus Spores Initiate Self-Healing Concrete

Findings on Bacillus pasteurii spore germination and impermeability mechanisms offer insights into developing effective microbial self-healing concrete systems.

27 Aug 2025

How Defined Microbes Decide Chocolate Flavor

This study links microbial activity and fermentation conditions to cocoa flavor profiles, advancing techniques for producing premium chocolate consistently.

27 Aug 2025

New Imaging Method Reveals Lipid Distribution in Tiny Worms with High Precision

Understanding how fat molecules are distributed and function in living organisms is key to uncovering mechanisms of aging, disease, and metabolism.

25 Aug 2025

Genome-Wide Screening Approach Uncovers Genetic Brakes on Blood Cancer Growth

Australian researchers have used an innovative genome-wide screening approach to identify genes, and their encoded proteins, that play critical roles in the prevention of lymphoma development, revealing new potential treatment targets for these blood cancers.

22 Aug 2025

Breakthrough Technique Enables Large-Scale Study of Polar and Ionic Metabolites

Researchers from the McCullagh Group in Oxford University's Department of Chemistry have published an innovative method in Nature Protocols today (22 August) that provides comprehensive analysis of metabolites found in cells, tissues and biofluids.

22 Aug 2025

New Insights Reveal Bacterial Roots of Key Plant Hormone Enzymes

Terpenoids play vital roles in plant ecology-from repelling pests to attracting pollinators-and are produced by terpene synthases (TPSs) enzymes.

19 Aug 2025

Amino Acids as Key Mediators in the Tumor Immune Dialogue

The tumor microenvironment is not just a site of cancer growth—it is a high-stakes metabolic contest where tumor and immune cells vie for limited resources.

19 Aug 2025

New Imaging System Reveals Cellular Activity at Unprecedented Depths

Both for research and medical purposes, researchers have spent decades pushing the limits of microscopy to produce ever deeper and sharper images of brain activity, not only in the cortex but also in regions underneath such as the hippocampus.

8 Aug 2025

Salk Scientists Use CRISPR to Uncover Microproteins Linked to Obesity

The obesity rate has more than doubled in the last 30 years, affecting more than one billion people worldwide.

8 Aug 2025

Smaller Scale Mutations in HNF1A Gene Nudge Millions Toward Type-2 Diabetes

Mutations in a single gene, HNF1A, are known to cause MODY3, a rare, early onset form of diabetes.

7 Aug 2025

Small Changes in Brain Enzyme May Have Shaped Modern Human Behavior

The evolutionary success of our species may have hinged on minute changes to our brain biochemistry after we diverged from the lineage leading to Neanderthals and Denisovans about half a million years ago.

5 Aug 2025

New Genetic Research Reveals Hibernation Secrets Hidden in Human DNA

Animals that hibernate are incredibly resilient. They can spend months without food or water, muscles refusing to atrophy, body temperature dropping to near freezing as their metabolism and brain activity slow to a crawl.

1 Aug 2025

Gut Bacteria Breakthrough Could Help Fight Chronic Diseases

An international research team led by scientists from the University of Copenhagen has discovered a common gut bacterium that lowers body weight and blood sugar while increasing bone density.

1 Aug 2025