'Toxic' molecule may play vital role in gene regulation and development

A molecule once thought to be a harmful metabolic byproduct may play a crucial role in early development and gene regulation, according to a new study published in Nature that challenges decades of biochemical assumptions. In the study, Northwestern Medicine investigators found that L-2-hydroxyglutarate (L-2-HG)—a compound previously associated with rare metabolic disorders—acts as a signaling molecule that helps regulate gene expression and supports normal growth in mice.