Your Body Can Eat Its Damaged Parts — And A Japanese Scientist Won A Nobel Prize Explaining How

person Savannah Martin
calendar_today Nov 30, 2025
comment 0 comments

What can we learn from a Nobel Prize discovery about aging?
A Japanese secret about anti-aging, inflammation, clearer thinking, and stronger immunity.

⭐ Did you know a Japanese scientist won a Nobel Prize for studying how cells “clean themselves”?

⭐ His discovery explains how our cells recycle waste and keep themselves organised.

⭐ Understanding this process can help you appreciate how your body naturally maintains balance.

Today’s digest explains one of the landmark studies from Yoshinori Ohsumi’s research team — research that contributed to his 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

🔍 What Study Are We Talking About?

Title: A protein conjugation system essential for autophagy
Published: Nature, 1998

Why it matters:
This paper revealed the exact molecular switch that turns on autophagy — the cell’s recycling system.
This became a major foundation of Ohsumi’s Nobel-winning work.

🌱 Q&A: What Did the Researchers Discover?

(All simplified for easy understanding)

1. What is autophagy?

Autophagy means “self-eating.”
It is how cells break down old or damaged parts and reuse them.

2. What was the study trying to find?

The researchers wanted to know which proteins start autophagy and how they work together.

🔍 Why This Study Matters

This research is one of the key discoveries that later helped Professor Yoshinori Ohsumi earn the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2016).

His work revealed how autophagy — the body’s natural “cell cleaning and recycling system” — actually works at the molecular level.

This 1998 study is one of the most important pieces of that puzzle.

🌱 Q&A: What Did This Nobel-Winning Research Show?

1. What is autophagy?

Autophagy is the process where cells break down and recycle old or damaged parts.
It helps keep cells organised and functioning normally.

2. What did this study discover?

The study revealed the exact protein machinery needed for autophagy to start.
It identified the protein pair Apg12 and Apg5 and showed they must attach together.
This attachment works like a “master switch” that turns autophagy ON.

📊 Key Scientific Findings (With Specific Data)

Here are the most important discoveries from the study — with clear data:

1. Yeast lacking Apg12 failed to perform autophagy

Mutant cells (Δapg12) showed 0 autophagic bodies in starvation conditions.
Normal cells showed clear autophagic body accumulation inside vacuoles.
Data from Fig. 1a in the paper.

2. Δapg12 cells had greatly reduced survival during starvation

Wild-type cells survived ~100% after 24 hours of starvation.
Δapg12 survival dropped dramatically (strong reduction shown in Fig. 1c).
This proved Apg12 is critical for surviving nutrient stress.

3. Autophagy activity dropped sharply without Apg12

Measured using the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) autophagy assay:

Wild-type ALP activity increased to ~60 units after starvation.
Δapg12 stayed at near 0 units.
(See Fig. 1d.)

4. Apg12 physically attaches (conjugates) to Apg5 to form a 70 kDa complex

Free Apg12 = 31 kDa
Free Apg5 = 32.5 kDa
When attached, they form a 70 kDa Apg12–Apg5 complex.
(Shown in Fig. 2a–2d.)

5. The exact amino acid required for attachment was identified

Apg12 uses Glycine at position 186 (Gly186).
- Removing Gly186 = 0% conjugation
- Mutating Gly186 → Alanine = reduced but still present attachment
  (See Fig. 3.)

6. The attachment site on Apg5 was identified

Apg5 must use Lysine at position 149 (Lys149).
- Mutating Lys149 → Arg = completely stops conjugation
- Autophagy activity drops from ~60 units to near zero
  (See Fig. 4.)

7. The process requires energy (ATP) and helper enzymes

The Apg12–Apg5 attachment only appears when ATP is added in vitro.
The enzyme Apg7 acts like an “activator” similar to the ubiquitin E1 enzyme.
(See Fig. 5.)

8. The same system exists in mammals

Human versions of Apg12 and Apg5 showed similar end-sequence patterns.
This suggests humans use the same recycling switch.
(Shown in Fig. 1e.)

⭐ Why This Helped Lead to a Nobel Prize

This study provided the first clear molecular explanation of:

which proteins control autophagy
how they attach
why attachment is essential
which amino acids matter
which enzymes activate the process
how autophagy starts in the first place

Without this discovery, scientists would not understand how cells recycle themselves — a foundational concept in biology.

This work became one of the pillars supporting Ohsumi’s Nobel Prize in 2016.

🌿 What This Means for Everyday People

This research teaches us that:

The body has natural systems that help maintain balance.
Cells stay organised using internal cleanup tools.
Healthy daily habits support overall cellular wellbeing.

Understanding how your body “cleans house” helps you appreciate the importance of rest, movement, and general wellness.

✅ Practical Tips From Ohsumi’s Discovery

1. Give your body regular breaks from constant eating.
Short fasting windows can help your cells clear old material.

2. Avoid snacking every hour without real hunger.
Spacing meals gives cells time to recycle waste.

3. Keep your blood sugar stable through balanced meals.
Stable sugar supports healthier cellular activity overall.

4. Move your body daily, even with gentle exercise.
Exercise naturally boosts cellular cleanup processes.

5. Get enough deep sleep every night.
Sleep gives your cells time to repair themselves.

6. Avoid chronic stress whenever possible.
Stress disrupts healthy cell recycling and energy balance.

7. Eat more whole foods with minimal processing.
Better nutrients reduce cellular damage over time.

8. Reduce sugary drinks and junk foods slowly.
Less inflammation means less cellular waste buildup.

9. Keep your weight stable within a healthy range.
Large weight swings strain your cellular systems.

10. Let your body experience mild challenges safely.
Mild stress, like walking or cold showers, activates resilience.

11. Spend time outdoors daily when possible.
Sunlight and movement help your metabolism regulate.

12. Keep your muscles active through small daily routines.
Active muscles support better internal recycling.

Link to original study: https://www.nature.com/articles/26506

Like this blog post? Share it with your friends! 👉 https://bit.ly/4p8uv66 ✨📲

🟦 Featured Product:

ORIEMS FIT is a 100% Australian Award-Winning Brand, named YEARS’ BEST by ProductReview.com.au in both 2024 and 2025, surpassing 68,000 nominees in a very tense competition.

The ProductReview.com.au award is completely independent, based only on real customer reviews and ratings, not commercial deals. This recognition proves Australians trust and recommend ORIEMS FIT.

And the trust doesn’t stop there:

⭐ 470+ Google Reviews with 5 stars.

We design Wide-Range Targeted Muscle Stimulators inspired by EMS technology insight — a tool to enhance fitness and relaxation routines. But our work goes beyond products — we share the latest research papers, the hard work of honest scientists, making suppressed research easy to understand.

🔗 Check Product Availability

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This article explains scientific research for educational purposes only.
It does not make medical or therapeutic claims.
It does not suggest that any product affects autophagy or cellular processes.
For health concerns, always consult a healthcare professional.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | Google Youtube Podcasts | Podbean Podcasts

For Research Digest , all social media channels

🔍 How We Source Research Studies

At ORIEMS FIT Research Digest, every study we feature comes directly from peer-reviewed scientific journals, not social media or secondary websites.
Here’s how the process works:

Global Database Access
We search through respected scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, MDPI, Frontiers, and Google Scholar — including university-hosted repositories.
Peer-Reviewed Journals Only
Each paper we select must come from recognized academic journals indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, or PubMed, ensuring the research has passed expert review.
Verification and Citation
Every article is read in full — not just the abstract — and we verify:
- the authors’ institutions (universities, hospitals, or research institutes),
- the publication year,
- and the journal’s credibility.
  We always include journal names, volume numbers, and DOI or reference links at the end of every digest.
Simplified, Not Altered
We rewrite the findings in simple, clear language — especially for readers aged 14 to 80 — but the data, results, and scientific integrity remain untouched.
Continuous Updates
Our library grows weekly with new papers from Australia, Europe, Asia, and North America, highlighting only verified studies on EMS, FES, and natural healing mechanisms.