Fortifying the link between SIRT1, resveratrol, and mitochondrial function.

The molecular mechanisms behind the health benefits of resveratrol remain enigmatic and controversial. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Price et al. establish a clear chemical-genetic connection between SIRT1 and resveratrol, providing strong evidence that SIRT1 is critical for resveratrol to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and a switch toward oxidative muscle fibers (Price et al., 2012).