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Nature & Environment

Does sea floor hold key to new medications ?

By T.K. Randall
January 31, 2013 · Comment icon 13 comments

Image Credit: Rubén Laguna
Creatures living at the bottom of the sea could provide powerful new ways to fight infection and disease.
As the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria becomes an ever greater concern, scientists are leaving no stone unturned in researching new medications to help combat infections, illnesses and other health problems. One of the most promising places to look in this regard is the sea, or more precisely, the sea floor. Several species have been identified as potential sources of new treatments.

One such example is the shipworm, a mollusk that affixes itself to wooden boats and feeds on the hull. Researchers have discovered that bacteria used by the creature to convert the wood in to a suitable food source secretes a powerful antibiotic - something that could be particularly valuable for use on humans in the coming years.
Sea life studies aid researchers in several ways, including the development of new medications and biofuels. Because many of these ocean animal species have existed in harmony with their bacteria for millions of years, these benign bacteria have devised molecules that can affect body function without side effects and therefore better fight disease.


Source: Phys.org | Comments (13)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #4 Posted by sergeantflynn 12 years ago
Wolverine , I agree . It will be stowed away by military/government to be used when they think fit . That means you and me have no chance .
Comment icon #5 Posted by WoIverine 12 years ago
Yeah, discovered in 2009: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226110743.htm
Comment icon #6 Posted by sergeantflynn 12 years ago
Yeah, discovered in 2009: http://www.scienceda...90226110743.htm Very good link .
Comment icon #7 Posted by pallidin 12 years ago
You know, I saw something on TV recently(sorry, can't remember where) which said that it can take 10-15 years before a new therapeutic drug can hit the market be it derived from nature or man-made entirely. This was respect to the US and FDA approval, I think, whereas the "active ingredients(s)" are isolated, tested, re-tested, multi-year human trials, side-effect characterizations, etc... Yes, it was in relationship to how the "Big Pharms" do things under US Law. Don't hit me for mentioning Big Pharm !! I know most of us hate them. I'm just relaying a TV story I heard...
Comment icon #8 Posted by WoIverine 12 years ago
You know, I saw something on TV recently(sorry, can't remember where) which said that it can take 10-15 years before a new therapeutic drug can hit the market be it derived from nature or man-made entirely. This was respect to the US and FDA approval, I think, whereas the "active ingredients(s)" are isolated, tested, re-tested, multi-year human trials, side-effect characterizations, etc... Yes, it was in relationship to how the "Big Pharms" do things under US Law. Don't hit me for mentioning Big Pharm !! I know most of us hate them. I'm just relaying a TV story I heard... It wouldn't surprise ... [More]
Comment icon #9 Posted by paperdyer 12 years ago
Perhaps the sponges' abilities could not be easily mimiced or only worked if you would filter the person's blood through the sponge. Interesting concept though.
Comment icon #10 Posted by pallidin 12 years ago
It wouldn't surprise me. I don't remember which agency it was, but I read that getting new electronics to market is a process as there's testing for radioactivity, and other miscellaneous things as well. I mean...really, we need to test a nintendo for radioactivity? This wasn't the wifi enabled nintendos either. lol Funny you should mention that! It's the "planar boards" in question. Planar boards are the multi-layered substrate for the electronics... the "board" itself without any electronics. For consumer electronics it's now 2-3 layers when it use to be 5. Not sure what the military does. I... [More]
Comment icon #11 Posted by WoIverine 12 years ago
Very cool, thanks for the info.
Comment icon #12 Posted by Yamato 12 years ago
It wouldn't surprise me. I don't remember which agency it was, but I read that getting new electronics to market is a process as there's testing for radioactivity, and other miscellaneous things as well. I mean...really, we need to test a nintendo for radioactivity? This wasn't the wifi enabled nintendos either. lol We should probably test everything coming out of Japan for radioactivity.
Comment icon #13 Posted by WoIverine 12 years ago
We should probably test everything coming out of Japan for radioactivity. Agreed, we should definitely test now, more than ever.


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