Washington, Mar 25 : Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered a new energy-making biochemical twist that can boost the lifespan of yeast cells, and can even do the same for humans.

The findings have revealed that making glucose is highly influenced by a large enzyme complex already known to fix damaged DNA, and which apparently affects yeast life span through a common chemical process-acetylation.

Washington, December 3 : Johns Hopkins researchers say that they have gained significant insights into the mechanism whereby a single-celled fungus regulates its version of cholesterol.

Writing about their work in the journal Cell Metabolism, the researchers say that their work may help better understand the target and action of cholesterol-lowering drugs taken daily by millions of people to stave off heart attacks and strokes.

Statin drugs inhibit an enzyme, HMG-CoA reductase, to lower blood cholesterol.

The researhcers say that a yeast called fission yeast, so named because they divide in the middle, is a good model for delving fast and deep into molecular details of how mammalian cells regulate HMG-CoA reductase.