Pyrimidines maintain mitochondrial pyruvate oxidation to support de novo lipogenesis. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38547260/)

These scientists were curious about how different types of molecules in our cells can affect our body's energy production. They were specifically interested in two types of molecules called purines and pyrimidines. They discovered that while purines like ATP are important for many cell processes, pyrimidines play a special role in keeping our cells running smoothly.

The scientists found that pyrimidines help a key process called pyruvate oxidation, which is like fuel for our cells. They also help with the tricarboxylic citric acid (TCA) cycle, which is another important energy-producing pathway in our cells. To do their job, these processes need a special molecule called thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP).

When the scientists removed pyrimidines from the cells, they noticed that TPP levels dropped too. This happened because a special enzyme, TPP kinase 1 (TPK1), couldn't work properly without pyrimidines. TPK1 usually uses ATP to help make TPP, but the scientists found that a molecule called uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) can also help TPK1 do its job.

By studying this, the scientists learned that UTP is like a helper that makes sure our cells have enough TPP to keep the energy production going. This helps our cells use vitamin B1 effectively, which is important for keeping our body's energy levels up and making new fat cells. So, UTP is like a superhero that ensures our cells have the energy they need to stay healthy and active!

Sahu U., Villa E., Reczek CR., Zhao Z., O'Hara BP., Torno MD., Mishra R., Shannon WD., Asara JM., Gao P., Shilatifard A., Chandel NS., Ben-Sahra I. Pyrimidines maintain mitochondrial pyruvate oxidation to support de novo lipogenesis. Science. 2024 Mar 29;383(6690):1484-1492. doi: 10.1126/science.adh2771. Epub 2024 Mar 28.