Hacker News Reader

So do I understand this right? There is a gene (PLA2G7) that when turned off in mice, mimiced the immune / other improvements that they saw in humans who were dieting - in other words turn off this gene and get some of the (life extension) benefits of dieting?

Begs two questions - 1. why is the gene there? 2. turn off the gene, do people lose weight?

View on HN

Why the gene is there is a complex question. It may be part of some other metabolic pathways, or it may be just a way evolution found to fulfill a function of the cell. About turning it off, this approach is again, complex. We need to perform knock-out experiments in model organisms first, to understand the overall function of the gene.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com