Tag

Amino Acids

All articles tagged with #amino acids

health-and-medicine2 days ago•5 min saved

High tyrosine linked to shorter lifespans in men, large study suggests

A UK Biobank study of more than 270,000 participants found higher blood tyrosine levels linked to shorter life expectancy in men—potentially shaving nearly a year off lifespan—with no clear effect in women. After adjusting for related amino acids and factors, phenylalanine showed no association. Possible explanations include insulin resistance and sex-specific hormone pathways; the study does not test tyrosine supplements directly, but results suggest dietary protein or tyrosine levels could influence aging, warranting further research.

via ScienceDaily|

#amino-acids #health-and-medicine #lifespan

science10 days ago•3 min saved

Amino Acids Formed in Freezing Space on Bennu, Hinting at Life's Beginnings Beyond Water

NASA’s analysis of asteroid Bennu’s samples shows amino acids formed in frigid conditions long before the asteroid’s current orbit, with 14 of Earth’s 20 standard amino acids detected and evidence that left‑ and right‑handed forms carry different nitrogen isotopes. This challenges the idea that liquid water is always needed for amino‑acid formation, suggesting prebiotic chemistry could occur in more environments and expanding potential habitats for life in the universe, while signaling new questions about chirality in biology.

via Jalopnik|

#amino-acids #astrobiology #bennu

science12 days ago•4 min saved

Bennu’s Amino Acids Point to Ice-Driven Origins of Life’s Building Blocks

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx samples from the 4.6-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu reveal amino acids, including glycine, can form in space and may arise in icy, radiation-exposed conditions in the early Solar System rather than only in liquid water; this suggests multiple pathways for the building blocks of life and shows Bennu’s isotopic signatures differ from the Murchison meteorite, indicating diverse origins for prebiotic molecules.

via Universe Today|

#amino-acids #bennu #glycine

science2 months ago•4 min saved

Reducing a Single Amino Acid Extends Mouse Lifespan by 33%

Reducing dietary isoleucine, an essential amino acid, in mice extended their lifespan by up to 33%, improved health markers, and reduced age-related issues, suggesting potential anti-aging benefits for humans, though further research is needed.

via ScienceAlert|

#aging #amino-acids #isoleucine

science3 months ago•4 min saved

Scientists Find Diet That Mimics Cold Exposure to Boost Fat Burning

Scientists at the University of Southern Denmark discovered that reducing the amino acids methionine and cysteine in mice's diets can mimic cold exposure, significantly increasing energy expenditure and fat burning, which could lead to new obesity treatments. However, further research is needed to confirm if these effects occur in humans.

via SciTechDaily|

#amino-acids #diet #fat-burning

health4 months ago•3 min saved

Selective 'mirror' amino acid inhibits specific tumor growth

Researchers have discovered that D-cysteine, a mirror form of the amino acid cysteine, selectively inhibits the growth of certain cancer cells by blocking a key mitochondrial enzyme, showing promise for targeted cancer therapies with minimal effects on healthy cells, as demonstrated in mouse models.

via Medical Xpress|

#amino-acids #cancer #d-cysteine

science4 months ago•3 min saved

Scientists Reconsider Theories on Life's Origins

Scientists are revising their understanding of the emergence of genes and amino acids in early life, suggesting that the traditional model may underestimate the role of certain amino acids like tryptophan and the complexity of early genetic codes, which could have implications for searching for life on other planets like Saturn's moon Enceladus.

via Yahoo|

#amino-acids #astrobiology #early-earth

science4 months ago•3 min saved

Scientists Reconsider the Origin of Life

Scientists are reevaluating the order in which amino acids emerged in the origin of life, suggesting that early protolife may have included a broader range of amino acids than previously thought, which could reshape our understanding of life's beginnings on Earth and potentially elsewhere in the universe.

via Yahoo News Canada|

#amino-acids #astrobiology #early-earth

health-and-nutrition4 months ago•9 min saved

The Truth About Protein Intake and Hidden High-Protein Foods

The article debunks common misconceptions about protein, explaining its role in the body, sources, and optimal intake, emphasizing that most people do not need excessive protein and that a diverse diet can provide all essential amino acids without relying solely on meat or supplements.

via London Evening Standard|

#amino-acids #diet #health-and-nutrition

science5 months ago•62 min saved

Amino Acids Enhance Stability of Proteins and Colloids

The article explores how amino acids (AAs) stabilize protein and colloidal dispersions by weakly interacting with particles, modulating their interactions and increasing stability. It presents experimental evidence showing AAs raise the second virial coefficient (B22), indicating enhanced repulsion, and develops a theoretical framework modeling proteins as patchy particles with adsorption sites blocked by AAs. The findings suggest AAs have a generic colloidal effect, influencing biological processes like phase separation and stress granule formation, and can improve pharmaceutical formulations, exemplified by increased insulin bioavailability with proline.

via Nature|

#amino-acids #colloidal-dispersions #protein-interactions

science5 months ago•5 min saved

Scientists Recreate Key Step in Origin of Life

Scientists from University College London recreated a 4-billion-year-old chemical reaction in lab conditions mimicking early Earth, demonstrating how RNA and amino acids could naturally bind to form the precursors of proteins, shedding light on the origins of life and bridging metabolism and genetics.

via Energy Reporters|

#amino-acids #chemical-reaction #origin-of-life

health5 months ago•1 min saved

Amino Acid Starvation Slows Brain Tumor Growth in Mice

Scientists discovered that glioblastoma brain tumors in mice grow more slowly when deprived of the amino acid serine, revealing a potential metabolic vulnerability that could be targeted for therapy. The tumors typically steal nutrients like serine from their environment to support rapid growth, but a serine-deficient diet slowed tumor progression and extended survival in mice, offering new hope for treatment strategies.

via Nature|

#amino-acids #brain-tumors #cancer-metabolism

science6 months ago•4 min saved

Scientists Uncover Key Chemistry Behind Life's Origins

Scientists have replicated a key step in the origin of life by demonstrating how RNA and amino acids could have naturally combined on early Earth, using simple chemistry and a high-energy mediator called thioester, providing insights into the molecular processes that led to the emergence of life.

via ScienceAlert|

#amino-acids #chemical-synthesis #origin-of-life

science6 months ago•4 min saved

New Study Supports 'Thioester World' Theory in Origin of Life

Scientists have discovered a water-friendly chemical reaction that links RNA and amino acids under mild conditions, providing a plausible pathway for the formation of the first proteins on early Earth and bridging the gap between metabolism, genetic information, and protein building.

via Earth.com|

#amino-acids #origin-of-life #prebiotic-chemistry

science6 months ago•3 min saved

Reducing a Single Amino Acid Boosts Mouse Lifespan by 33%

Reducing intake of the amino acid isoleucine in mice extended their lifespan by up to 33%, improved health markers, and reduced frailty, suggesting potential anti-aging benefits for humans, though further research is needed.

via ScienceAlert|

#aging #amino-acids #dietary-restriction