# Metabolic signals regulating cell growth versus survival

> **NIH NIH R35** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $402,168

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract:
Over the previous funding period, it was shown that the sulfur-containing amino acid methionine
is a key signal of amino acid sufficiency. Methionine functions by boosting the synthesis of its
downstream metabolite S-adenosylmethionine, which serves as the biological methyl donor in
many one-carbon transfer reactions critical for life. This application proposes to
comprehensively investigate the mechanisms by which methionine and SAM function to
regulate important cellular pathways in balancing cell growth versus survival in response to
metabolic state. A combination of genetics and biochemistry will be utilized to elucidate how
methionine and SAM regulate phosphorylation-based signaling, epigenetic methylation
modifications on chromatin, as well as the transcription and translation of sulfur metabolism
genes. Insights from these studies will be informative as to the role of these sentinel metabolites
in aging and age-related diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10334542
- **Project number:** 5R35GM136370-03
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Benjamin P Tu
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $402,168
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-21 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10334542

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10334542, Metabolic signals regulating cell growth versus survival (5R35GM136370-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10334542. Licensed CC0.

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