Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984
MIT engineers repurpose wasp venom as an antibiotic drug
The venom of insects such as wasps and bees is full of compounds that can kill bacteria. Unfortunately, many of these compounds are also toxic for humans, making it impossible to use them as antibiotic drugs.
After performing a systematic study of the antimicrobial properties of a toxin normally found in a South American wasp, researchers at MIT have now created variants of the peptide that are potent against bacteria but nontoxic to human cells.
In a study of mice, the researchers found that their strongest peptide could completely eliminate Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a strain of bacteria that causes respiratory and other infections and is resistant to most antibiotics.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Ethanol-fueled on Monday December 10 2018, @12:46AM (2 children)
It's the honey they eat, not the bee poison. If they weren't being stung by bees all the damn time they'd be Nazi supermen.
(Score: 2) by legont on Monday December 10 2018, @01:03AM (1 child)
Didn't you mistype eat with drink?
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by arulatas on Tuesday December 11 2018, @04:35PM
Mead it does a body good.
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