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Alligator Blood May Be Source of New Antibiotics
esocid writes "Biochemists from McNeese State University have described how proteins in gator blood may provide a source of powerful new antibiotics to help fight infections associated with diabetic ulcers and severe burns. This new class of drug could also crack so-called 'superbugs' that are resistant to conventional medication. Previous studies have showed alligators have an unusually strong immune system; unlike humans, alligator immune systems can defend against microorganisms such as fungi, viruses, and bacteria without having prior exposure to them. Scientists believe that this is an evolutionary adaptation to promote quick wound healing, as alligators are often injured during fierce territorial battles."
I just can't shake the image of leatherhead from teenage mutant ninja turtles from my mind now. whatcouldpossiblygowrong?
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. indymedia
Were they hoping people wouldn't associate a wonderdrug from a reptile (this shite) with the common phrase "snake oil" (a wonderdrug from a reptile)
cmd-q.co.uk - some sort of stupid fucking internet bullshit
My work here is dung.
Good for what ails ya.
'nuff said.
But then we can harvest the proteins from the white blood cells of a different, and even more awesome animal. Everyone wins.
The cost is "being a goddamn ten foot long reptile." The cure is "put it in pills." Sheesh, some transhumanists...
just not so good for your health to try to collect it
I'll tell you what could go wrong:
evolutionary adaptation to promote quick wound healing
An angry Wolverine, the four horseman Wolverine to be exact, sues for prior art, and on a technicality gains control of the entire human population's genome. This would quite literally usher in "the" Apocolypse.
I got a catholic block.
Alligator blood? Man, that's cold.
-Rob
Biblical fiscal responsibility
My only concern with this type of approach is how hamstrung will we get when the first protesters arrive?
No worries. The biochemists studying this work at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and McNeese State University in Lake Charles, both in Louisiana. If you ever been to that part of the south, you'd know they'd rather eat the things only slightly more than they'd prefer shoot them, or use them to make handbags, belts and shoes.
Can we replicate it or at least identify WHY it is so useful or different?
If we can't, we'll have to turn to someone like Emeril Lagasse for an alternative, more spicy, use. At any rate, the article is fairly interesting. Maybe they should adopt a slogan like "Alligators: Good, and Good for You." to get things going.
> Or conversely, alligators as a species have always had these antibiotics. Why is it that every interesting or perplexing feature about a species must be somehow attributed to, or be a product of, evolution?
> I'm as much a believer in evolution as the next, but I've grown a bit tired of every amazing discovery being associated with evolution.
Because every interesting, perlexing, or boring feature of a species is of course a product of evolution.
The first single cell didn't have a powerful immune system. Alligators do. Somewhere along the way the branch of life leading to alligators, they evolved a powerful immune system. Why does that characterisation bother you?
Perhaps I misunderstood you, and you were reacting to the common tendency for the news to report some simplistic off-the-cuff guess as to what environmental pressure led to a certain feature evolving. In this case, territorial fights=super immunity. I heard a story on the news this morning about how less sleep leads to increased feelings of hunger and the reporter added, 'this makes sense in evolutionary terms because clubbing rhinos for food all day takes a lot of energy and increased hunger will help replenish that energy' huh? wtf?
- For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat
I came to the datacenter drunk with a fake ID, don't you want to be just like me?
Just to point out, McNeese State University, where the study was done, is in Lake Charles, LA. That's in South Louisiana. Which is mostly swampland, or close to it.
Those kids KNOWS gators. Which are tasty, by the way, and becoming a borderline nuisance down in South LA because the @#$%ing damnyankee tourists keep feedin' em and dey come up to de pirogue lookin' for de crap-touristee food and you gotta whack 'em wit' de paddle and dey bite de paddle and you got...woah, sorry.
All that goes to say....Gator sausage is GOOD eatin'.
- 2 oz. fresh gator blood
- 2 oz. rum 151 proof or stronger
- splash hot pepper sauce
- serve straight up with or without raw egg
Cures what ails you.Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
Crocodiles are relatives of alligators, but are not the same animal. I know it's confusing because they're very scary animals.
You better watch out, there may be dogs about . .
Maybe the kid born with the super-human immune system was ugly as sin and all the girls ignored him when it was time to make babies. The good looking guy was able to father dozens of children and keeled over at a young age due to an infected hang-nail.
You'd think a site full of supposed nerds would understand the concept instinctively.
Gator meat isn't shot full of hormones and other shit. Problem is catching the damn things ;)
I hope they meant some sort of antibody a croc's immune system produces kills HIV, because HIV can't live in a cold blooded creature anyway.
i'm so so sorry
really
What we really need is a drug for restless mouth syndrome. "Do you find yourself going on and on about whatever you happen to be thinking about, until people tell you they just don't care? You may have RMS, visit www.rms.com to find out if you have RMS. Small print: Shhhitol is not approved by the FDA for treatment of RMS, consult your physician before beginning any off-label drug regimine"
"The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." --H.L. Mencken
Gator meat isn't shot full of hormones and other shit. Problem is catching the damn things ;)
I can imagine two gators (on gator-dot?) having the same discussion about _us_.
[runs from moderators with anti-meme missiles]
Tomato wedge sperm darts that are Republican.
I'm not sure the new show will be that successfull, but here's a possible theme song...
Gator-Man, Gator-Man,
Hides in water wherever he can,
Grabs a leg, Just like light,
Lets the corpse rot overnight,
Hey man, here comes the Gator-Man,
Gator-Man, Gator-Man, Deadly neighbourhood Gator-Man, Wealth and fame, he's ignored,
Chunks of flesh are his reward,
Hey man, here comes the Gator Man
Those fools!
It's true Dr. Connors' work has not yet been featured in a Spider-Man movie, but that's no excuse for scientists not being familiar with the literature regarding this kind of research.
When all you have is an axe, everything looks like a grindstone.
...It looks like my ex will be good for something positive.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.