Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: evan_au on 05/11/2015 18:02:35
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Most species of mammals have an enzyme in the liver called Uricase; it breaks down uric acid.
However, humans and most apes have a corrupted genetic pathway to synthesise Uricase. This leads to a buildup of Uric Acid in the bloodstream. This directly causes gout in some people, but has been implicated in the explosion of fatty liver, metabolic syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uric_acid#Metabolic_syndrome) and Type 2 diabetes in the worlds richest countries.
Could we restore the genetic pathway to produce Uricase, reducing the impact of these non-contagious diseases?
As both Uric Acid and Abscorbic Acid are both powerful antioxidants, Abscorbic acid synthesis (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=61605.0)would probably need to be restored before restoring Uricase functionality.