from the Time-flies-like-an-arrow;-fruit-flies-like-a-banana dept.
How do men and women store fat differently? Ask the fruit fly:
People and fruit flies are astonishingly alike genetically. In fact, nearly 75 percent of disease-causing genes in humans can be found in the [fruit] fly in a similar form.
In a new study, recently published in PLOS Biology, researchers from UBC's[*] faculty of medicine used fruit flies to make a fundamental genetic discovery about differences between how males and females store and metabolize fat.
[...] A lot of research has identified hundreds of fat metabolism genes that are influenced by sex hormones and sex chromosomes, but less is known about which of these genes cause the male-female difference in fat storage.
[...] We identified a fat metabolism gene that regulates the male-female difference in fat storage. In flies without this gene, the males and females store exactly the same amount of fat. This discovery paves the way for identifying metabolic genes that control male-female differences in other aspects of development and physiology.
[...] Our studies take place at the earliest stage of the discovery process. But we hope that by identifying genes that explain why males and females have different amounts of fat, we will be better able to understand why men and women have differences in the risk of diseases associated with abnormal fat storage, such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Knowing which genes affect fat storage and metabolism is also an important first step in developing more precise treatments to tackle metabolic disease. At present, not many drugs are available to treat abnormal fat metabolism, and those that are available often work better in either men or women. By identifying genes that influence fat storage in male and female flies, we will gain vital information on developing new therapies that are tailored to women, and to men, in treating abnormal fat metabolism.
[*] UBC: University of British Columbia .
Journal Reference:
Lianna W. Wat et al. A role for triglyceride lipase brummer in the regulation of sex differences in Drosophila fat storage and breakdown, PLOS Biology (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000595)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 29 2020, @02:38PM (1 child)
does this explain the moobs problem?
/joke
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 29 2020, @03:22PM
No. Smoking too much weed causes man boobies.
(Score: 3, Funny) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday January 29 2020, @02:41PM (8 children)
I store my fat in the bacon drawer of the fridge. Yes, I repurposed one of the crispers as a bacon drawer. Don't you wish you were me?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday January 29 2020, @02:49PM
I choose to use a filesystem for real men! (although women are just as entitled to use it!)
shock mount your SSDs to prevent vibration
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Wednesday January 29 2020, @03:52PM (3 children)
Isn't it better to store your fat on the hoof?
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 3, Funny) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday January 29 2020, @04:58PM (2 children)
Only if you can run faster than the hoof. I hate chasing my food down at lunchtime.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Wednesday January 29 2020, @05:23PM (1 child)
You chase your animals? Are traps and ammo that expensive?
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday January 29 2020, @05:40PM
Traps get rusty, and splattering meat across the field is wasteful. I'll continue to store my meat off the hoof, in the freezer.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday January 29 2020, @04:57PM
We've got a bacon and eggs drawer. That counts, doesn't it? I mean, why eat veggies, when I get all the veggies the pig ate, by eating the pig? The health nuts aren't going to live a whole lot longer than me, anyway.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 29 2020, @08:49PM
No.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 30 2020, @02:59AM
Better place to store it than my wife.
(Score: 2, Funny) by fustakrakich on Wednesday January 29 2020, @03:48PM (2 children)
Wow. Google translate works that well, eh?
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday January 29 2020, @05:30PM (1 child)
The NSA will still be listening.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Wednesday January 29 2020, @05:38PM
They have to. They're the translators
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 29 2020, @06:45PM
... be very afraid!