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Nature's Timepiece Identified

Posted by timothy on from the and-1-and-2-and-3-and-again dept.

Makarand writes "Nature's timepiece, a two-sided cylindrical protein that tells cells when to grow and when to rest, has been identified according to these reports on MSNBC and on Purdue News. The protein directs 12-minute growth and rest cycles in living cells. Scientists at Purdue were able to confirm its function by first identifying the gene that produces this protein and then altering the protein to produce cycles of between 22 and 42 minutes. This discovery promises new insight into cellular activity such as cholesterol synthesis, respiration, heart rhythms, response to drugs, sleep and alertness. We may be able to improve our of methods of minimzing jet-lag and correcting sleep disorders."

3 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. Go! go! go! (pills) go! go! by notany · · Score: 2, Informative

    Indeed, the U.S. Department of Defense has offered research funding for the goal of sustaining a fully wake, fully functional 24/7 soldier, sailor, or airman. -- Professor J. Christian Gillin,

    I guess next time I operate my F-16 I can't get so
    high anymore.

    --
    Dyslexics have more fnu.
  2. Reference to the paper by mlush · · Score: 5, Informative

    The links given don't actually supply the reference to the paper. Its in Biochemistry

    Biochemical Basis for the Biological Clock Morre, D. J.; Chueh, P.-J.; Pletcher, J.; Tang, X.; Wu, L.-Y.; Morre, D. M.; Biochemistry ; (Accelerated Article); 2002; 41(40); 11941-11945.

  3. something isn't adding up... by G.+W.+Bush+Junior · · Score: 2, Informative

    ok, so this is really groundbreaking news...
    I mean, Explaining the circadian rythm has been a priority for decades.
    It has an enormous impact on the pharmaceutical industry, it's extremely important for biochemists, chemists, theoretical chemist and non-linear dynamics people...
    And the importance is REALLY obvious.

    my question is this: Why do they publish it in Biochemistry?!?!

    This is Nature or Science material... if it's true.

    Something is obviously wrong with their argumentation, but I haven't figured out what's wrong yet... anybody?

    They DEFINITELY need more sampling points... but I guess there's more to it than that.

    --
    "I don't know that Atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots." -George H.W. Bush