Researchers Find Weak Spot in Anthrax Bacterium
The really neat thing about this bacteria lysing-protein is that it does not destroy most other bacteria. It only appears to destroy Bacillus anthracis and its close relatives. That way if this protein is used in treating humans the rest of the good bacteria in the body are unhurt whereas it is curtains for the anthrax bacteria.
To see if this bacteria lysing-protein might be useful in treating infected animals they took mice and infected them with a close relative to Bacillus anthracis called Bacillus cereus. When Bacillus cereus is injected into the peritoneum (the abdominal cavity that contains the intestines) it will quickly kill the mice. However, 70 to 80 percent of the mice infected with Bacillus cereus followed by injection with this bacteria lysing-protein lived to see another day.
Unfortunately, this bacteria lysing-protein does not destroy spore cells. Spores are the infectious form of the anthrax bacteria. They are very resistant to killing and can live for decades in the environment. Decontaminating buildings containing these spores is very difficult and hazardous. Work by these Rockefeller University researchers and others has shown that if they give anthrax spores an amino acid called L-alanine they will germinate (start growing). When they germinate and start growing they are once again easily destroyed by the bacteria lysing-protein. This means of eliminating anthrax spores might prove safer and more effective.
Only time will tell what use this new discovery will have in aiding our survival on this planet. You never know when one creature's weak spot can be used to help us defend ourselves in this uncertain and sometimes evil world of people.
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