Monday, November 23, 2009

Weight Loss Breakthrough

DrosophilaThere has recently been a scientific breakthrough at the University of Bonn in Germany. A gene commonly found in fruit flies has been identified to control the metabolism, or chemical reactions, of fat. In some fruit flies this gene is defective, which causes them to lose all of their fat. The gene in the fruit fly contains the instructions of certain raw cellular material which has a regulatory function in the metabolism. The mutant form of the schlank gene causes the fruit fly to lose all of its fat. It can be deadly if not counteracted. When the gene works perfectly it helps the body store fat. When the gene is defective, or a mutation of the regular gene, it causes the loss of fat reserves. The scientists at the University of Bonn named this gene 'schlank,' which in english means 'slim'. The 'schlank' gene works by instructing those that carry the gene to turn energy into Ceramides which make up every cell in the body. The 'schlank' gene also regulates the removal of fat from the fat reserves.

The 'schlank' gene or something similar to it may also be found in species other than the fruit fly. Many mammals carry a gene that is very similar to 'schlank', that may also control the same metabolism of fat. Humans have something called Lass genes. Lass genes are six different genes that all preform the same basic function as the 'schlank' gene. When Lass genes mutate they also can cause severe metabolic disorders. These type of mutant Lass genes found in mice were injected into fruit flies with the mutant schlank gene and the process of loss of fat reserves stopped.The simalarity in the genes that are cross species has allowed scientists to deduce the connection between the Lass genes and lipids (cholesterol). Thanks to Darwinism scientist maybe able to use chemically altered 'schlank' like genes to create new far more effective weight loss medications.

Since humans and Drosophila Melangastro (fruit flies) are 60% similar in their DNA in can infered easily enough that a genes similar to the 'schlank' gene arose in the common ancestor of fruit flies and humas. As fruit flies got small however they needed less and less genes to control their fat distrabution where are humans needed more and more. It thus goes with out saying that by using fruit flies we maybe able to eliminate obesity issue while at the same time fix under nourishment issues by allowing people to store fat longer and more efficiently.

Acknowledgements:
http://www.stapleypestcontrol.com/FruitFlies.jpg

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/images/bo/bodi-tek-fat-blitz.jpg

http://www.slimmingpillsuk.net/images/slimming_solution_pills_by_Biomix.jpg

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111843.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Netvibes



13 comments:

  1. Very interesting. Do you know how close it is to becoming a safe pill.

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  2. do you guys know how close it is to becoming an actual pill?

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  3. This is cool, but it might encourage some people to eat unhealthy foods thinking that it won't do them any harm.

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  4. I have the same question as Calvin: How close are they to making this a real pill? Also, I am very interested in, if and when this because a real pill, what will be the public's response (how many will be willing to try it and how many will think it is too unsafe).

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  5. I am very interested by this topic. I am wondering how many years it will be until the pill is created! Also how will it compare to the average weight loss pill? I can't wait to see this pill in action!

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  6. If this is true, hundreds of thousands of lives will be changed for the better. I hope that this can also cure obesity and other weight gaining disorders

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  7. I feel the same way as Arielle, if people know there is a pill that slims then down then will people start eating more knowing they can just losing it with one pill?

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  8. Yeah but the pill just keeps you slim. It doesn't keep you healthy.

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  9. I think the topic is intresting. But like Dylan said the pill doesn't really make you healthy and I think people could take the pill and expect to much out of it

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  10. The topic is very interesting. The pill could be used in scenarios where weight loss is needed, not just wanted, so this could be more a medicine than just a supplement of something of that sort.

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  11. The topic sounds cool, but the pill could have serious affects on healthy eating. People might eat the pill, and get slimmer, but could still be really unhealthy.

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  12. The topic is interesting but there is one flaw with the gene. What if the gene is defective and makes a person lose all body weight and die?

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  13. I am very curious to see how genetic alteration in humans pans out. I feel that it is a matter of time before we are able to alter the genes in embryos to make sure they have genes to have certain traits.

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