via University of Oxford
Researchers at the University of Oxford have demonstrated that the diets of organisms can affect the DNA sequences of their genes.
In a study on two groups of parasites, the team detected differences in DNA sequences that could be attributed to the composition of their food.
The results are published in the journal Genome Biology.
Study co-author Dr Steven Kelly, from Oxford’s Department of Plant Sciences, said: ‘Organisms construct their DNA using building blocks they get from food. Our hypothesis was that the composition of this food could alter an organism’s DNA. For example, could a vegetarian panda have predictable genetic differences from a meat-eating polar bear?
‘To test this hypothesis, we picked simple groups of parasites to use as a model system. These parasites share a common ancestor but have evolved to infect different hosts and eat very different foods.
‘We found that different levels of nitrogen in a parasite’s diet contributed to changes in its DNA. Specifically, parasites with low-nitrogen, high-sugar diets had DNA sequences that used less nitrogen than parasites with nitrogen-rich, high-protein diets.’
The study involved groups of eukaryotic parasites (Kinetoplastida) and bacterial parasites (Mollicutes) that infect different plant or animal hosts.
The results, based on novel mathematical models developed by the researchers, reveal a previously hidden relationship between cellular metabolism and evolution. They provide new insights into how DNA sequences can be influenced by adaptation to different diets.
Furthermore, the team found it is possible to predict the diets of related organisms by analysing the DNA sequence of their genes.
Study co-author Emily Seward, a doctoral candidate in Oxford’s Department of Plant Sciences, said: ‘It has been unclear why very closely related organisms can look so different in their genetic makeup. By bringing together two fundamental aspects of biology – metabolism and genetics – we have advanced our understanding of this area.
‘It’s a difficult question to answer, because there are so many factors that can influence the DNA sequence of an organism. But our study explains a very high percentage of these differences and provides evidence that we really are what we eat.
‘We are now looking at more complex organisms to see if we will find the same thing.’
Learn more: Scientists uncover genetic evidence that ‘we are what we eat’
The Latest on: We are what we eat
via Google News
The Latest on: We are what we eat
- What Should You Eat When You Have COVID-19? We Asked Infectious Disease Doctorson May 19, 2022 at 9:15 am
Infectious disease doctors break down the best foods to eat when you have COVID-19, including tips to support your immune health.
- New Blood Entry — Watch What You Eaton May 19, 2022 at 7:45 am
The food we eat comes from all over the world. Since watching and eating often go hand in hand, why don’t we apply the same diversity to our viewing habits? ‘Watch What You Eat’ is a limited time ...
- 'What will we eat, if we won't work?': Labourers working under scorching heat in Delhion May 17, 2022 at 7:16 pm
Guddu Thakur, from Madhya Pradesh, questioned that if we don’t work what will we make our wife and kids eat. “There is poverty and we are helpless. Whether there is a high temperature or it is raining ...
- Heatwave singes labourers: 'If we won't work, what will we eat?'on May 15, 2022 at 10:51 pm
As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures.
- "If We Won't Work, What Will We Eat?": Poor Bear Brunt Of Heatwaveon May 15, 2022 at 6:50 pm
For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable.
- Simple Science: The Real Reasons We Eat — or Don’t Eat — Certain Foodson May 11, 2022 at 5:00 pm
You are what you eat, people sometimes say. I see the reverse — you eat what you are. There are many reasons we eat or don’t eat that have little or nothing to do with nutrition. They include taste ...
- We are what we eat, but we pay no attentionon May 10, 2022 at 5:27 am
City folks are dealing with obesity and their rural counterparts with its opposite. Both are forms of malnourishment that do not receive sufficient attention.
- Drew Barrymore Tells Us About Her Passion For Vegetarian Food And Why What We Eat Matterson May 10, 2022 at 2:42 am
Drew Barrymore spoke with LittleThings about Quorn's newest vegetarian chicken products and why mycoprotein is so important.
- LISTEN | We are what we eaton May 9, 2022 at 5:11 am
While food is part of our daily lives, it is not often that we say about what it is that goes into our bodies and how it makes us feel. Drawing from her life experiences and healing journey ...
via Bing News