|
|
Post by admin on Apr 16, 2012 11:51:47 GMT -5
 More than 400 meters below the Earth’s surface, in a virtually untouched 4-million-year-old cave, scientists have discovered antibiotic-resistant bacteria, whose existence could explain why the modern drugs we use to treat infections are failing. Our overzealous use of antibiotics, largely in hospitals and on animal farms, has long been blamed for fostering the emergence of drug-resistant “superbugs.” But the bacteria samples from the isolated Lechuguilla cave system in New Mexico suggests that drug resistance is actually an ancient trait. It’s possible that bacteria’s drug-resistance genes evolved millions of years ago in organisms like those on Lechuguilla’s cave walls, and are showing up in superbugs now through bacteria’s natural process of gene swapping. The pristine samples of bacteria taken from the cave revealed that the bugs are not infectious to humans but can fend off several types of antibiotics, including newer synthetic drugs Read more: healthland.time.com/2012/04/12/drug-resistant-bacteria-discovered-in-4-million-year-old-cave/?iid=hl-main-lede#ixzz1sDsjUB2n
|
|
|
|
Post by bigwillybear on Apr 16, 2012 12:32:23 GMT -5
Bacteria have a much less efficient gene copying mechanism that DNA based organism. Their single strand RNA method of copying genes leads to a far higher mutation rate which in turn means that they are on the evolutionary fast track. So bacteria that have been isolated for 4 million years will have developed different solutions and variations for functions that are targeted by antibiotics in bacteria that have shared their mutations with the general population of bacteria.
If all the life on earth were wiped out with the exception of bacteria then 95% of the planet's species would still survive.
|
|
|
|
Post by admin on Apr 16, 2012 12:36:57 GMT -5
Bacteria have a much less efficient gene copying mechanism that DNA based organism. Their single strand RNA method of copying genes leads to a far higher mutation rate which in turn means that they are on the evolutionary fast track. So bacteria that have been isolated for 4 million years will have developed different solutions and variations for functions that are targeted by antibiotics in bacteria that have shared their mutations with the general population of bacteria. If all the life on earth were wiped out with the exception of bacteria then 95% of the planet's species would still survive. :headsplody: |
|
|
|
Post by bigwillybear on Apr 16, 2012 12:41:10 GMT -5
Bacteria have a much less efficient gene copying mechanism that DNA based organism. Their single strand RNA method of copying genes leads to a far higher mutation rate which in turn means that they are on the evolutionary fast track. So bacteria that have been isolated for 4 million years will have developed different solutions and variations for functions that are targeted by antibiotics in bacteria that have shared their mutations with the general population of bacteria. If all the life on earth were wiped out with the exception of bacteria then 95% of the planet's species would still survive. :headsplody: :Dangilputty: |
|
|
|
Post by MOLEY on Apr 16, 2012 13:50:52 GMT -5
Dear Mad Hatter "Bigwillybear" wot he likes to be known as is really not that clever, since I just had to explain to him that you meant headexplodeys like in a mindblowy way. I hope this will make his made up word "angilputty" clearer to you as he was trying to "ass"imulate you from behind, so watch out for that in future. *facepalm* I hope this helps as he needs help  |
|
|
|
Post by admin on Apr 16, 2012 13:53:57 GMT -5
Dear Mad Hatter "Bigwillybear" wot he likes to be known as is really not that clever, since I just had to explain to him that you meant headexplodeys like in a mindblowy way. I hope this will make his made up word "angilputty" clearer to you as he was trying to "ass"imulate you from behind, so watch out for that in future. *facepalm* I hope this helps as he needs help  |
|
|
|
Post by ayezatulbrite on Apr 16, 2012 16:27:39 GMT -5
depends on the drug... I still think UV kicks bacterial ass
|
|
