Scientists discover genes directly responsible for obesity

• Published date: 23 September 2021
• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The groundbreaking research, published in the scientific journal PLOS Genetics, is a promising step in the effort to develop drugs to treat obesity.

Genomicists have identified hundreds of genes associated with obesity in the past although none were found to directly cause the health epidemic that affects almost half of all American adults, according to UVA.

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UVA's research team, led by UVA's College of Arts & Sciences researcher Eyleen O'Rourke, used tiny worms knows as C. elegans to pinpoint the genes and their effect on obesity.

The worms, who live in rotting vegetation, share more than 70% of human genes and become obese if they are fed excessive amounts of sugar.

In the research, the worms were used to screen 293 genes associated with obesity in people. This method allowed UVA's research to identify 17 genes that contribute...