W.T.F. ? ~ for a solution to the increasingly drug-resistant strains of bacteria. Heres a list of six of the weirdest places theyre searching: Cockroach Brains The cockroach’s nervous system contains nine different antibiotics. Some strains are powerful enough to treat E.coli, which causes serious gastrointestinal problems. They are also effective at fighting MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a bacterium resistant to many bacteria and can cause life-threatening infections once it hits the bloodstream. Alligator Blood Researchers were curious why alligators could withstand open wounds from territorial fights with other gators without contracting any infections. Their powerful immune systems helped them recover with astonishing speed, and in 2008 researchers extracted white blood cells from the gators and found a wide range of antibacterial compounds. One of the compounds has the ability to kill MRSA , along with 22 different strains of bacteria, including Salmonella, staph, E.coli, strep, and a strain of HIV. Old Televisions In 2010, researchers figured out how to turn the compound that makes up LCD TVs into an antibacterial substance. The liquid crystal display destroys E.coli and certain strains of MRSA by heating, cooling, and dehydrating it with ethanol. It could be used to clean hospital and medical facility tools, which would in turn reduce a hospital patient’s risk for infection. Fungi in Pacific Ocean There are promising new strains of never-before-discovered fungi strains lying at the body of the Pacific Ocean. It’s mixed in with a 100-million-year-old nutrient-starved sediment that was previously thought a dead zone. But somehow eight different fungi strains have been surviving there, and four were collected and survived the journey to a lab. They’re related to the penicillin antibiotic, which means the fungi could have properties similar enough to fight against bacteria in a whole new way. Panda DNA Researchers in China have discovered within a panda’s DNA is a powerful antibiotic compound called cathelicidin-AM. It helps protect them against bacteria and other fungi. In fact, it’s so potent, it can kill bacteria in less than one hour. Unfortunately, pandas are endangered, so it will be difficult to test on live subjects through blood extractions. Underground Cave In 1980, researchers discovered a cave contains more than 136 miles of underground passages in Mexico. The Lechuguilla Cave lies 1,600 feet below New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns, making it the deepest limestone cave in America. The rock-eating bacteria that thrive off of the sulfur, iron, and manganese deposits found inside the chandelier-like rock formations could be key. Scientists extracted samples and believes it could extend how long a MRSA-fighting drug lasts in the human body.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 22:07:44 +0000
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