Scientists may have found a gene that keeps skinny people so slimMay 22, 2020 - 12:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - According to new preliminary research published Thursday, May 21 in the journal Cell, scientists may have discovered a gene that helps super-skinny individuals stay so slim, potentially opening up a new frontier in treatments to tackle obesity, CNN reports. An international team of scientists said they have identified a genetic variant unique to thin individuals in what's known as the ALK gene. The ALK gene makes a protein called anaplastic lymphoma kinase, which is involved in cell growth. They pinpointed the variant after looking at DNA samples and clinical data of more than 47,000 healthy people in Estonia between the ages of 20 and 44. "The Estonia biobank is very unique in its detail," said senior author Josef Penninger, a professor in the department of medical genetics and the director of the Life Sciences Institute at the University of British Columbia. "We looked at the genetic maps of people with a BMI [body mass index] below 18 and compared them with those of people of normal weight and found the [genetic variant] that correlated with being super skinny," Penninger said. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. Azerbaijan razes historic Armenian church to ground Azerbaijan has demolished the historic Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist (known as Kanach Zham). Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skills |