63
Health & Science2h 56m ago

A molecular geneticist at Montana State University has discovered a cellular process previously believed impossible: the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when its primary systems fail.

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 previously believed impossible: the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when its primary systems fail.
When
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:35:00 GMT · 2h 56m ago
Where
Montana State University ·
Why
This discovery reveals a previously unknown backup system in mammalian cells that can produce cysteine when the main disulfide reductase systems fail, which was observed in genetically engineered mice.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This newly discovered cellular backup system, while potentially protecting human cells from toxins, may also contribute to cancer cell survival against therapies; understanding it could lead to new cancer treatments by disabling this defense mechanism in cancer cells.

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