Caloric Restriction Cuts DNA Mutation Rates Across Mouse Genome, Study Finds
New York City – September 15, 2026 -- Mice fed 30 percent fewer calories than their normal intake showed reduced levels of DNA mutations across multiple tissues, according to a study published September 9 in Cell by researchers at NYU Langone Health and University Hospitals Cleveland.
Researchers Measure Genome-Wide Mutation Reduction for the First Time
The study is the first to quantify how caloric restriction affects mutation patterns across a large portion of the genome, rather than in single genes as prior research had done. Using advanced DNA sequencing technology, the team tracked both substitution mutations, where one DNA letter replaces another, and insertion-deletion mutations, where DNA letters are added or removed.
The research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health.