Formaldehyde is commonly thought of as an environmental toxin or laboratory fixation reagent, but there is a growing appreciation for its broader physiological contributions as a naturally generated one-carbon metabolite across all kingdoms of life. In this In Focus article, we summarize emerging advances in the field that show how formaldehyde plays diverse roles as a one-carbon signal in DNA damage, one-carbon metabolism, and epigenetic regulation.

中文翻译：

---

一碳统治一切：甲醛是连接一碳代谢和表观遗传甲基化的一碳信号

甲醛通常被认为是一种环境毒素或实验室固定试剂，但人们越来越认识到它作为一种在所有生命领域自然产生的单碳代谢物的更广泛的生理贡献。在这篇 In Focus 文章中，我们总结了该领域的新兴进展，展示了甲醛如何作为一碳信号在 DNA 损伤、一碳代谢和表观遗传调控中发挥多种作用。