DNA-TO-DISH RECIPE: To generate diets with species-specific proportions of amino acids, first sequence all the protein-coding regions (the exome) from an organism’s genome and determine the precise proportion of each of the 20 encoded amino acids (five of the 20 are shown as colored codons in DNA, with their respective abundances displayed in the bar chart). Next, mix amino acids at this exact ratio with other nutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, and so on) and serve. Animals on this exome-matched diet will grow larger than those on equivalent diets that have discordant amino acid compositions.© KIMBERLY BATTISTA
The paper
M.D.W. Piper et al., “Matching dietary amino acid balance to the in silico–translated exome optimizes growth and reproduction without cost to lifespan,” Cell Metabolism, 25:610–21, 2017.
Animal studies indicate that while calorie restriction prolongs life, a protein-rich diet can shorten it, even if overall calories are low. Earlier in life, however, higher protein consumption is required for reproductive fitness. According to evolutionary theory, “reproduction and lifespan are locked into a trade-off with each other: you do one well, and do the other poorly,” says Matthew Piper of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
Piper and colleagues had previously found that tinkering with the proportions of certain amino acids in the diet of fruit flies could somewhat redress this fecundity-longevity imbalance. And this led Piper to ask ...
