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Health & Science4h 23m ago

A molecular geneticist at Montana State University has discovered a cellular process once believed impossible by scientists – the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when the cell's primary systems to do so fail.

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Montana State University

Who
Ed Schmidt, Zoe Seaford, Sydney Austad, Martina Serrano Alvarez, Reed Noyd, Colin Miller, Peter Nagy
What
A molecular geneticist at Montana State University has discovered a cellular process once believed impossible by scientists – the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when the cell's primary systems to do so fail.
When
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:35:00 GMT · 4h 23m ago
Where
Montana State University ·
Why
Scientists long believed that a disulfide reductase system was absolutely essential for all living cells to create cysteine, but a new system was discovered that can take over when the main systems fail.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This discovery could lead to new cancer treatments by allowing scientists to precisely disable this newly found defense mechanism in cancer cells, making them more susceptible to therapies. The findings also provide insight into how cells protect themselves from toxins and oxidants.

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