Amino Acid News and Research

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Amino Acid is one of several molecules that join together to form proteins. There are 20 common amino acids found in proteins.

Pomegranate-derived compound shows promise against preserved ejection fraction heart failure

A compound produced in the body after eating pomegranates improves heart function by up to 80% in a type of heart failure with limited treatment options.

19 Aug 2026

Researchers uncover hidden function of known tuberculosis bacterium gene

The complete genome for the tuberculosis bacterium was sequenced and published in 1998. Since then, scientists have deciphered about two-thirds of TB's genes. Or have they?

17 Aug 2026

New antibody-specific AI framework accelerates discovery of therapeutic drugs

Designing an effective antibody drug is like searching for the right key in a warehouse of locks. Scientists may begin with millions-or even billions-of antibody candidates, but only a tiny fraction will recognize and bind tightly to the disease target.

13 Aug 2026

Study sheds new light on the physiological roles of protein quality control at the ribosome

Scientists at the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC) and the CECAD Cluster of Excellence on Aging Research have demonstrated in a biomedical study that ribosomes, the protein factories of our cells, face an unusually tough challenge when building large, membrane‑embedded proteins.

12 Aug 2026

Why pulses could play a bigger role in healthy and sustainable diets

A narrative review finds that pulses may support gut and metabolic health through their fiber, protein, phytochemicals, and interactions with the gut microbiota, while offering a lower environmental footprint than many animal protein sources. Human evidence is strongest for selected cardiometabolic outcomes, while many microbiome and fermentation-related benefits remain supported mainly by animal and laboratory studies.

9 Aug 2026

Fruit fly gut cells track hunger using internal cell viscosity

Researchers led by Sa Kan Yoo at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) in Japan have discovered that the natural turnover of gut cells in the fruit fly depends on how much food the flies get, rather than any specific nutrient.

7 Aug 2026

Exhausted T cells balance graft tolerance and infection risk

A comprehensive new review examines the complex role of T cell exhaustion in organ transplantation, highlighting how this dysfunctional immune state can both promote graft tolerance and create vulnerabilities to infection and malignancy.

7 Aug 2026

D-serine promotes gastric cancer growth by suppressing tumor immunity

Researchers from Keio University have found that D-serine increases the growth of gastric cancer by creating an immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory tumor microenvironment.

6 Aug 2026

Inherited Neandertal gene variant increases muscle mass in modern humans

Neandertals were generally more strongly built than most people living today. Their bones show signs of large muscles, and they had characteristic features such as prominent brow ridges and relatively short tooth roots.

5 Aug 2026

Specialized selenoproteins play critical role in regulating cellular health

A new review highlights the remarkable importance of selenoproteins, a specialized group of molecules that, despite their small size, play a decisive role in shaping cellular fate and maintaining biological balance.

5 Aug 2026

Study reveals evolutionary shift in gene crucial for the human nervous system

Certain variants in the PSPH gene, which encodes an enzyme called phosphoserine phosphatase, prevent the body from making sufficient amounts of amino acid L-serine, leading to a range of nervous system problems.

5 Aug 2026

Restricting select amino acids may mimic protein restriction’s healthy aging benefits

A review finds that restricting protein, particularly methionine, isoleucine, and valine, may improve metabolism and influence key aging pathways, largely in experimental models. Short human studies suggest metabolic benefits, but effects on lifespan remain unknown and restriction may harm people with unmet or increased protein needs.

3 Aug 2026

Gut microbiome shifts may begin before Alzheimer’s symptoms appear

A narrative review links reduced SCFA-producing gut bacteria and altered microbial metabolism with Alzheimer’s disease, while early evidence suggests similar changes may appear before cognitive symptoms. Mediterranean, DASH, MIND, and prudent diets are associated with beneficial microbial profiles, but direct evidence connecting diet, the microbiome, and amyloid pathology remains limited.

3 Aug 2026

Arginine boosts immune defenses against cancer and viral infections

The amino acid arginine helps to keep the human body humming, most notably by synthesizing proteins that carry out a range of cellular processes.

31 Jul 2026

Consuming less protein could have greater health benefits and extend lifespan

Protein-fortified foods are popping up everywhere, from cereal and coffee to even protein water. But a new review covering over 350 papers on protein restriction and aging-publishing July 31 in the Cell Press journal Cell Press Blue-suggests that consuming less protein could have greater health benefits and could, in some cases, extend lifespan.

31 Jul 2026

Small changes in one heart protein cause distinct cardiomyopathies

Cardiomyopathies are a group of mostly hereditary, rare heart diseases in which the structure of the heart muscle tissue is impaired.

29 Jul 2026

Plant-based diets reshape gut microbes to boost healthy metabolites

Plant-based diets are good for you. They promote gut, immune, metabolic and cardiovascular health, in part by cultivating a diverse community of intestinal bacteria.

27 Jul 2026

Primate study reveals molecular basis of red-green color vision

Human color vision depends on three types of cone cells in the retina. Although all three contain the same light-absorbing molecule, 11-cis-retinal, differences in the surrounding protein determine sensitivity to red, green, or blue light.

27 Jul 2026

Researchers uncover molecular switch controlling nutrient-driven cell growth

Cells carry their own growth switches. When enough nutrients-amino acids in particular-are available, cells flip this switch on and begin to grow. Researchers at KAIST and Yonsei University have now uncovered the molecular mechanism by which amino acid signals activate this cellular growth switch.

26 Jul 2026