Enzyme Plays a Role in Folic Acid’s Effectiveness

Scientists recently set out to discover how birth defects occur in the embryos of some women even though they supplement their diets with folic acid. They found that mice lacking a gene for a folic acid enzyme called Mthfd1l were unable to produce formate, which is essential for normal embryo development. The work also revealed that one way folic acid reduces birth defects is by contributing to the production of formate in mitochondria. Future studies could aid the design of folic acid substitutes for women lacking Mthfd1l.

Source: NIGMS Biomedical Beat - February 21, 2013 Category: Research Source Type: news