View Full Version : Mighty Mouse


S.A.M.
11-04-07, 12:39 AM
Movie link (http://www.jbc.org/content/vol0/issue2007/images/data/M706127200/DC1/Supermouse_Video_-_Official_(Windows).wmv)

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C) is an enzyme that is involved in gluconeogenesis in the liver and kidney cortex and in glyceroneogenesis in the liver and white and brown adipose tissue. The enzyme is also present in a wide variety of mammalian tissues such as the small intestine, colon, mammary gland, adrenal gland, lung, and muscle. However, its function in these tissues remains unclear.

http://www.jbc.org/content/vol282/issue45/images/small/zbc0450719460001.gif
PEPCK-Cmus mice contain less body fat than wild-type mice.

Parvin Hakimi and colleagues overexpressed the gene for PEPCK-C in the skeletal muscle of transgenic mice to assess the metabolic and physiological consequences. Surprisingly, they discovered the transgenic mice were 7 times more active than control mice.

The mice were able to exercise on a treadmill for 2-6 km, as compared to 0.2 km for wild-type mice, and they ran twice as fast as control mice. This greatly enhanced exercise capacity was accompanied by a large increase in mitochondria and triglyceride content in the skeletal muscle.

The transgenics were long-lived and retained their enhanced exercise capacity, as well as their fecundity, into murine old age. The mice overexpressing the gene for PEPCK-C also had very little body fat, despite eating 60% more than control mice.

The authors conclude that overexpression of PEPCK-C repatterns energy metabolism and leads to greater longevity.

http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/abstract/282/45/32844

Atom
11-04-07, 08:04 AM
The only problem is you have to feed it several packs of cheese a day.

S.A.M.
11-04-07, 08:40 AM
Somehow I think MacDonalds would be happy

redarmy11
11-04-07, 08:44 AM
Not many mice can afford Big Macs. When are the disastrous human tests scheduled for?

S.A.M.
11-04-07, 08:51 AM
redarmy11

These are transgenic mice; ie genetically altered, so human trials are a little far off in the realm of sci-fi. However, expect to see some drugs on the market that may help increase PEPCK expression. Be interesting to see how it shapes up in humans. Stuff like thalidomide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide) has pretty much demolished the idea that if its safe in animals it will be safe in humans and stuff like leptin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptin) has shown that what works in animals is a little more complicated in humans.

DeepThought
11-04-07, 09:19 AM
When are the disastrous human tests scheduled for?


I wonder if the genetically engineered mouse's heart will wear out before the wild mouse's does?

The candle that burns twice as bright...

S.A.M.
11-04-07, 09:21 AM
Not according to the paper:


The transgenics were long-lived and retained their enhanced exercise capacity, as well as their fecundity, into murine old age.

Atom
11-04-07, 09:58 AM
Mousetrap sales have already dropped..

The mice keep forcing the bars open.