你是否还在为长肉而苦恼，为减肥而与美食擦肩？不要着急，长胖或许并不是一件坏事，最新研究表明，脂肪具有保护大脑的作用。
2016年9月8日，国际著名学术期刊杂志《Cell》在线发表了加州大学Andrew Dillin研究员的一篇研究论文，研究表示脂质分子介导的新压力应答通路可以用来治疗亨廷顿舞蹈病，研究表示多余的脂肪有助于降低神经退行性疾病的风险。
研究人员在模拟亨廷顿舞蹈病的线虫中干扰细胞线粒体，结果发现线虫长胖了。研究显示，线虫长胖是一种特殊脂质增多造成的，而这种脂质可以防止蛋白聚集体的形成。研究人员指出这种脂质就是神经酰胺，动物和细胞需要它们来启动抵御亨廷顿舞蹈病的基因。这些发现也在体外培养的人类细胞中得到了证明。
“当我们启动这个应答的时候可以完全保护线虫和人类细胞，不形成致病的蛋白聚集体，”加州大学伯克利分校的Andrew Dillin说。他们用药物阻止细胞清除神经酰胺，成功保护了亨廷顿舞蹈病的线虫模型和人类细胞。Dillin已经开始在亨廷顿舞蹈病的小鼠模型中进行研究，看这种药物是否能产生理想的效果。
文献链接：
Lipid Biosynthesis Coordinates a Mitochondrial-to-Cytosolic Stress Response
文献摘要：
Full-length RecE and RecT from Rac prophage mediate highly efficient linear–linear homologous recombination that can be used to clone large DNA regions directly from genomic DNA into expression vectors, bypassing library construction and screening. Homologous recombination mediated by Redαβ from lambda phage has been widely used for recombinant DNA engineering. Here we present a protocol for direct cloning and engineering of biosynthetic gene clusters, large operons or single genes from genomic DNA using one Escherichia coli host that harbors both RecET and Redαβ systems. The pipeline uses standardized cassettes for horizontal gene transfer options, as well as vectors with different replication origins configured to minimize recombineering background through the use of selecively replicating templates or CcdB counterselection. These optimized reagents and protocols facilitate fast acquisition of transgenes from genomic DNA preparations, which are ready for heterologous expression within 1 week.
