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Genetically Modified Mouthwashing Bacteria
Moxen writes: "The BBC is running an article about a genetically modified bacterium that is intended to replace the existing lactic-acid-producing variety currently residing in your mouth. Once the new bacteria have replaced the old, you can apparently expect the elimination of 'most tooth decay.' Rather clever, if you don't mind playing host to a colony of GMOs."
If it did spread through kissing, how would they make their money back?
Police Officer: I'm sorry, son, you're going to have to come with me. Seems like you've got an illegal copy of DNA sequence 9422136A residing in the bacteria in your mouth.
Why is Grand Theft Auto a much more serious crime than Reckless Driving?
It appears to me that we've evolved to have the organisms in our mouth that we do have for a reason. Whatever that reason may be. Maybe sometimes we should just *not* fuck with nature?
Dave
I write a blog now, you should be afraid.
Because of the Almighty Buck's all-mighty interests. :|
If we could be free of cavities forever with just one whiff of a spray, then half the dentists out there would be out of business, and so would toothpaste/brush industries.
I would sure like a bit of that spray though.
I have a genetic condition that weakens my teeth somehow. My grandmother had mostly false teeth when she turned 20 and my mother has the same problem. I brush my teeth like 5 times a day and I keep getting cavities. Most of my teeth have already been drilled at least once and I'm only 22 years old
Alcohol ;) :P
* Origin: XBase BBS (2:490/4100) Well the good old days may not return and rocks might melt and sea may burn.
More importantly, it seems implausible that this treatment is a once-in-a-lifetime affair. I might believe it would last a week, but no more than that. What if someone brushes his teeth? Even if one need no longer worry about cavities, brushing is still required to remove plaque and prevent gum disease.
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until it mutates from mouthwashing bacteria to brainwashing bacteria. (which will then be patented by AOL Time Warner, of course)
Of course, there is the question of why this strain would outcompete the resident S. mutans. After a rather infuriating search of the U.FL website I found http://www.dental.ufl.edu/Offices/Oral_bio/Faculty _pages/JHillman.html which includes a list of peer reviewed journal references.(Note: there isn't much more there.)
A quick read of Infection and Immunity, February 2000, p. 543-549, Vol. 68, No. 2 indicates that they created the GM bacteria by deleting almost the entire gene responsible for lactic acid production (lactic dehydrogenase) and make up for the loss by inserting another alcohol dehydrogenase (from Zymomonas mobilis) in the gap. (Which means the other poster was correct - it produces alcohol instead of lactic acid .) The paper also indicates that the bacteria are able to compete with resident mouth bacteria by producing a "Lantibiotic" antibiotic (mutacin 1140). This antibiotic was not introducd by the researchers, but instead is naturally occuring in the (naturally occuring) strain of S. mutans which they selected (because of the antibiotic).
Either way, if the new bacteria outcompete the old bacteria (which is the requirment for ensuring that they will take over your mouth), then the new bacteria will probably be better able to survive a Listerene attack than the old one.
Why is Grand Theft Auto a much more serious crime than Reckless Driving?
How about a variety of bacteria that doesn't produce scatane when it digests food? That would be wonderful. I would suggest that it could make some nice ketones instead, so our farts could smell like bananas or something.
If tits were wings it'd be flying around.