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Researchers at the University of East Anglia and the University of Cambridge have successfully unveiled the molecular structure of Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), a crucial protein for calorie burning in brown fat tissue, or "good fat." This groundbreaking discovery, the first to provide such detailed insights into UCP1’s molecular configuration, can significantly aid in developing therapeutics aimed at artificially activating this protein. Activation of UCP1 could facilitate the burning of excess calories from fat and sugar, thereby presenting a potential strategy to combat obesity and related disorders such as diabetes.
Brown fat burns calories as heat, contrasting with white fat, which primarily stores energy and is linked to obesity. UCP1 plays a key role in this process, particularly in thermoregulation. The researchers utilized advanced cryogenic electron microscopy to visualize UCP1 at an atomic level, revealing how it is regulated and how activating molecules might bind to it. This understanding could foster the development of treatments that stimulate brown fat activity and glucose uptake, thus addressing obesity and metabolic diseases more effectively. The findings are documented in the journal Science Advances.
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