Frontal reptiles have been shown to produce substances that kill disease-causing bacteria and heal wounds.
A group of American scientists (Barney M. Bishop Crystal N. Propst Scott N. Dean Ezra MC Chung) from the School of Systems Biology (George Mason University), led by Monique van Hoek, isolated from the blood of Komodo monitors (Varanus komodoensis), better known as the "Komodo Island Dragons", is a miraculous protein that they named VK25. Experiments have shown that this very VK25 kills many disease-causing microbes, including those against which antibiotics are powerless. Moreover, it heals wounds by destroying so-called biofilms - bacterial communities.
The dragon develops an antibiotic to protect itself from bacteria that are infested with carrion
It is not by chance that the researchers took up the monitor lizards. And under the impression of their amazing features. Dragons feed on all kinds of carrion, from which their mouths are teeming with deadly bacteria that cause blood poisoning. Few people survive after being bitten by monitor lizards. But they themselves do not suffer in the least.
So Hook and her colleagues decided to look for substances that protect dragons. And I found it. VK25 quickly exterminated Pseudomonas aeruginosa - Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus - Staphylococcus aureus, Francisella tularensis bacteria that cause tularemia.
Even the bacteria Burkholderia thailandensis, whose close relatives are biological weapons, could not resist the "dragon's blood".
Encouraged by the results, the scientists synthesized an artificial analogue of VK25. It was named DRGN-1. Have experienced it too. The analog turned out to be even more effective than the original. And this allows hopes that a new generation of antimicrobial drugs will be created, superior in strength to modern ones.
Wounds treated with antibiotic from dragon blood, heal faster
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Earlier, Monica Hook's group isolated antibiotics from the blood of crocodiles. These "dragons" produce as many as several dozen proteins that kill disease-causing bacteria. There is something to study and something to be equal to. And this is again encouraging - we will not be lost in the battle with microorganisms.
More information about the research of Monica Hook and her colleagues can be found in the scientific article Komodo dragon-inspired synthetic peptide DRGN-1 promotes wound-healing of a mixed-biofilm infected wound.
Vladimir LAGOVSKY
