A Nature study by Fumiaki Obata's team at RIKEN identified a protein that records larval dietary protein levels in fruit flies and carries that information into adulthood, influencing lifespan. Flies fed low-protein diets as larvae lived longer as adults but were smaller, paler, and had reduced fertility — a classic trade-off — and restoring amino acids eliminated the longevity benefit.
Background
Dietary restriction has long been known to extend lifespan across species, but the mechanisms by which early-life nutrition programs adult health remained poorly understood.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Sep 29, 2026 at 10:39 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10