Researchers have discovered a mechanism in DNA that regulates how disease-causing mutations are inherited. The team identified two enzymes that regulate a chemical modification, 6mA, in mitochondrial DNA. Without the modification, DNA mutations accumulate. These mutations contribute to diseases like dementia, cancer, and diabetes. The study shows that the 6mA modification controls these mutations, suggesting that enhancing its levels could slow disease progression.
Read more …The changes to cell DNA that could revolutionize disease prevention
In a struggle that probably sounds familiar to dieters everywhere, the less a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worm eats, the more slowly it loses fat. Now, scientists have discovered why: a small molecule produced by the worms' intestines during fasting travels to the brain to block a fat-burning signal during this time.
Read more …Gut molecule slows fat burning during fasting