Researchers at Vanderbilt University, led by biologist Gianni Castiglione, discovered that horses possess a unique genetic mutation in the NRF2/KEAP1 pathway which helps them manage oxidative stress better than other mammals. This adaptation allows them to produce energy more efficiently, thereby enhancing their endurance and athletic performance. Unlike humans, horses can burn energy hotter while minimizing cellular damage. This mutation, a nonsense mutation, impacts the functionality of a critical gene, showcasing how evolutionary changes can lead to superior biological traits in certain species.
To make energy, we've made a deal with the devil to, basically, have a slow burning fire in our cells. Horses have evolved ways to manage oxidative stress.
Horses can make this fire burn even hotter and make the damage even less than it would be in a species like a human.
This is essentially the energy production and fire department, all wrapped in one.
It's a type of mutation called a nonsense mutation, because it breaks a gene, it inactivates it from doing what the cell needs it to do.
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