GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A team of scientists from the University of Florida and Trinity College Dublin has solved a long-standing biological mystery surrounding how the body absorbs queuosine, a micronutrient critical to brain function and cancer resistance.
Queuosine — pronounced “cue-o-scene” — is a vitamin-like nutrient the human body cannot produce on its own. Instead, it must be obtained through diet and gut bacteria. Despite its essential role in cellular processes, queuosine remained largely overlooked for decades.
In a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers identified the gene responsible for transporting queuosine into human cells. The discovery not only fills a major gap in understanding human nutrition and gene expression but also opens new avenues for developing treatments targeting cancer, cognitive health, and memory.
“For over 30 years, scientists believed a transporter for queuosine had to exist, but no one could pinpoint it,” said Valérie de Crécy-Lagard, distinguished professor and associate chair in UF’s Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, and one of the study’s lead authors. “This breakthrough allows us to better understand how the microbiome and our diet impact gene translation.”
The gene identified, SLC35F2, has previously been studied for its role in how viruses and cancer drugs enter cells, but its function in normal human biology had remained unclear — until now.
Queuosine works by modifying transfer RNA (tRNA), the molecules that help decode genetic instructions and synthesize proteins. Researchers describe the micronutrient as fine-tuning how the body reads DNA.
“It’s remarkable that such a small, little-known compound plays such a big role in how our genes are expressed,” said de Crécy-Lagard.
Vincent Kelly, professor in Trinity College Dublin’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology and a co-senior author of the study, noted the broad health implications. “We’ve known queuosine influences brain function, metabolism, and stress response. But we didn’t understand how it got from the gut into our cells — until now.”
First identified in the 1970s, queuosine’s health relevance only recently began to attract attention. The study brought together researchers from UF, Trinity College, San Diego State University, Ohio State University, and institutions in Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The project received support from several health organizations, including the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland, and Research Ireland.
“This discovery is a testament to the power of international collaboration,” de Crécy-Lagard said. “None of this would’ve been possible without our full team.”
