Protein degradation rate helps explain why humans develop more slowly than mice
Humans develop at a slower rate than other mammalian species, like mice, but scientists are still trying to understand the molecular basis of these differences. Now, researchers from the Ebisuya Group at EMBL Barcelona and PoL-TU Dresden and from the Savitski Team at EMBL Heidelberg show that across 4,000 proteins shared between humans and mice, there is a clear tendency for protein degradation…
Humans' slower development compared to mice may be explained by a slower rate of protein degradation in human cells, according to research from the Ebisuya Group at EMBL Barcelona and PoL-TU Dresden and the Savitski Team at EMBL Heidelberg. Analyzing about 4,000 human genes with corresponding mouse counterparts, the researchers discovered that protein degradation tends to be slower in human cells across the entire proteome, regardless of protein function, cellular location, or degradation pathway.
This consistent difference was not limited to specific types of proteins or cellular compartments. The study also suggests that reduced metabolism in mouse cells can slow protein turnover and development, aligning their rates with those of human cells. This finding highlights metabolism as a key regulator of protein turnover and provides new insights into how fundamental biological processes shape the pace of life across different species.
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