Scientists solve 30-year mystery of a hidden nutrient that protects the brain and fights cancer

Key Points:

• Scientists have identified the gene SLC35F2 responsible for transporting queuosine, a vitamin-like compound, into human cells, marking a significant breakthrough in understanding how this nutrient influences health.
• Queuosine, obtained from diet and gut bacteria, plays a crucial role in protein synthesis by modifying transfer RNA, thereby fine-tuning gene expression related to memory, learning, and cancer suppression.
• The discovery of SLC35F2 fills a longstanding gap in knowledge about how queuosine enters cells, with previous research linking this gene to virus and cancer drug entry but not its normal biological function.
• This research, supported by multiple national health organizations and involving international collaboration among universities in the US and Ireland, highlights the importance of queuosine in brain health, metabolism, cancer, and stress responses.
• The findings open new avenues for developing treatments leveraging queuosine's biological roles and underscore the value of global scientific cooperation in uncovering overlooked nutrients.