In a new finding by the researchers, they have invented a new gene RAPI, which plays a major role in obesity. RAPI is known to protect the telomeres, the ends of chromosomes.
The study, which was conducted by the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) has also found that RAP1 is also present in the rest of the chromosome along with the telomeres; they supposed it acts regulating the action of other genes.
In order to analyse RAPI’s other potential function, and its importance in the organism, CNIO researchers created a pedigree of mice without RAP1 and discovered a model for obesity, which was a surprise result for them.
"Mice-especially female mice-without RAP1 do not eat more, but do gain weight. They suffer from metabolic syndrome, accumulate abdominal fat and present high glucose and cholesterol levels, amongst other symptoms", Paula Marti'nez, first-author of the study, said.
Researchers discovered that the gene acts on same signalling pathway followed by another protein: PPAR- gamma.
In fact, mice with deficient PPAR-gamma suffer from a type of obesity "surprisingly similar" to that seen in mice without RAP1.
The study is published in the journal Cell Reports.
-With inputs from ANI
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