‘Non-essential’ building block proves vital to a healthy protein diet

‘Non-essential’ amino acids can serve as nutritional cues that guide the body’s response to a low-protein diet because the body can make them from other nutrients, a RIKEN-led team found in a study. About Drosophila larvae. If a similar control mechanism works in mammals, it may be used to control appetite.

To determine whether to eat beef or fish, our brains have evolved mechanisms to sense changes in the protein composition of the body and adjust our intake of protein-rich foods accordingly. Researchers have long believed that this process depended solely on them. building blocksknown as amino acidthe body cannot naturally produce on its own.

However, RIKEN-led research now shows that this is not necessarily the case. “We have discovered a new mechanism that senses and adapts to dietary protein deficiency,” says Fumiaki Obata of the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR).

known as Tyrosinethe amino acid is dairy products, meats, nuts, beans and other protein-packed foods. However, the body can also synthesize tyrosine from another amino acid called phenylalanine. It is found in both plant and animal foods alike.

As shown by Obata and BDR colleague Hina Kosakamoto, flies slow and increase the rate of protein metabolism. food consumption Low levels of tyrosine in the diet – a sign of adaptation to protein deficiency. This ensures that your macronutrient levels stay within healthy limits.

The team has identified several of the molecular players and signaling pathways involved in regulating the body’s response to tyrosine levels, but exactly how this happens remains unclear. They ruled out one general mechanism by which the brain senses nutrient imbalances. not.”

Another research priority for the team is to corroborate their findings in mouse models. This helps determine the relevance of the results. human physiology and medicine, and for agriculture and animal husbandry. “If tyrosine has a similar role in mammals, tyrosine restriction could be used to control and treat appetite. metabolic syndrome “Our knowledge could also be applied to animal husbandry to improve animal health and production.”

This research natural metabolism.