Blood dragons Komodo found substances that kill dozens of dangerous bacteria.
Komodo dragon, or Komodo dragon – the largest lizard on earth, which grows to three metres in length. As researchers found, these animals safely withstand dozens of toxic bacteria.
A recent study showed that the mouths of Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) can contain up to 57 kinds of dangerous bacteria. And now researchers have figured out how these giant lizards have become resistant to such deadly enemies in their mouths.
The team from George Mason University took the blood of Komodo dragons and after a series of tests found traces of cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPS). These protein fragments get at birth all living creatures. They are an integral part of our innate immune system.
“This is the part of your immune system, which leaves you alive for two to three weeks before you will be able to create antibodies to bacterial infection,” said biochemist Monique van heck.
The analysis identified 48 potential peptides. After the synthesis of their analogues in the laboratory revealed that eight of these antimicrobial peptides successfully cope with superbugs, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.
“Future efforts will focus on determining whether these peptides are the result of a pathogen, or contained in the blood of all lizards. Also need to find out, does this phenomenon only Komodo lizards, or substances contained in the blood of other species,” concluded a team of researchers.
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