The eukaryotic genome is packaged into chromatin. The nucleosome, the basic unit of chromatin, is composed of DNA coiled around a histone octamer. Histones are among the longest-lived protein species in mammalian cells, due to their thermodynamic stability and their associations with DNA and histone chaperones. Histone metabolism plays an...
The protein homeostasis (proteostasis) network, a critical cytoprotective system that restores homeostasis in response to molecular stress, comprises distinct pathways, including the heat-shock response, unfolded protein response, oxidative stress response, and autophagy. These distinct pathways are all co-opted by tumor cells to cope with cancer-associated stress, and their activation in...
Evolutionary theory predicts that reproduction entails energetic costs that detract from somatic maintenance, accelerating biological aging. In women, such ‘costs of reproduction’ (CoR) are thought to arise predominantly during pregnancy and lactation, while in men the physiological effects of the steroid hormone testosterone (T) are believed to be a major...
Phenotypic variation is the functional unit that evolution acts upon and is the main contributor to the diversity of species. The phenotype of an individual is shaped by genetic and environmental factors. These genetic and environmental factors contribute to biomedically relevant traits such as an individual’s susceptibility to disease and...
The epidemic of obesity and associated metabolic diseases have led to increased scrutiny of adipose tissue and its primary cell type, the adipocyte. However, studies show that regional adipose tissue distribution rather than obesity per se is a major determinant of metabolic disease risk. Despite having an obese body mass...