Scientists Uncover Brain-Boosting, Cancer-Fighting Nutrient

Discovery of gene that transports crucial micronutrient could lead to new treatments

Apr. 8, 2026 at 11:12am

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An international team of researchers has identified the gene responsible for transporting queuosine, a vitamin-like compound linked to brain health and cancer defense, into human cells. This breakthrough could eventually support the development of new treatments that take advantage of queuosine's roles in memory, learning, and cancer suppression.

Why it matters

Queuosine is a crucial micronutrient that the body cannot produce on its own, but its importance has remained largely overlooked for decades. This discovery fills a long-standing gap in understanding how queuosine enters cells and could open up new avenues for research into its influence on critical processes like brain health, metabolic regulation, and cancer.

The details

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was led by scientists at the University of Florida and Trinity College Dublin. They identified the gene SLC35F2 as the missing transporter that allows queuosine to enter human cells. This gene had previously been studied for its role in allowing viruses and certain cancer drugs to enter cells, but its normal function in healthy biology was unclear until now.

  • The study was published this week.
  • Queuosine was first identified in the 1970s.

The players

Valérie de Crécy-Lagard

A UF/IFAS microbiology and cell science distinguished professor and department associate chair, as well as one of the study's principal investigators.

Vincent Kelly

A professor in Trinity College Dublin's School of Biochemistry and Immunology, and joint senior author of the article.

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What they’re saying

“For over 30 years, scientists have suspected that there had to be a transporter for this nutrient, but no one could find it. We've been hunting for it for a long time. This discovery opens up a whole new chapter in understanding how the microbiome and our diet can influence the translation of our genes.”

— Valérie de Crécy-Lagard, UF/IFAS microbiology and cell science distinguished professor and department associate chair

“We have known for a long time that queuosine influences critical processes like brain health, metabolic regulation, cancer and even responses to stress, but until now we haven't known how it is salvaged from the gut and distributed to the billions of human cells that take it in.”

— Vincent Kelly, Professor, Trinity College Dublin's School of Biochemistry and Immunology

What’s next

The discovery of the SLC35F2 gene that transports queuosine into cells could eventually support the development of new treatments that take advantage of the nutrient's roles in memory, learning, and cancer suppression.

The takeaway

This breakthrough in understanding how the crucial micronutrient queuosine enters human cells could open up new avenues for research into its influence on important biological processes, potentially leading to new treatments for brain health and cancer.