Each cell in our body needs a fuel source to grow and divide to keep us alive. Most cells prefer a fuel source of high energy-containing sugar, but there are many times when our cells find themselves in short supply and must find other sources of energy to maintain their basic functions to stay alive. As most organisms experience times of feast and famine, cells have evolved ways to respond rapidly to a changing nutrient environment. The lab of Brian Strahl, Ph.D., interim chair of the UNC Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the UNC School of Medicine has unraveled more details for how cells do this, garnering insights into the basic ways in which cell epigenetics affect biology and disease.
Click here for original story, Scientists pinpoint protein’s role in critical gene expression
Source: Phys.org