Scientists may have uncovered next powerhouse antibiotic in horse dung
Biopharmadive reports that Swiss Scientists may have uncovered next powerhouse antibiotic in horse dung.
Summary:
· European biologists found a bacteria-killing
compound in mushrooms that grows in horse dung—and it's a protein known as
copsin.
· Copsin has the same effects on bacteria as
traditional antibiotics.
· The research team is led by Markus Aebi and
is based at the Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.
The excitement that copsin has caused is
based on many factors, including the fact that antibiotic-resistant infections
are on the rise and becoming increasingly deadly. Scientists have been working
with a great deal of determination to find treatments for diseases, such as
tuberculosis.
Copsin
is unique in that it is a protein and most antibiotics are non-protein organic
compounds. Nonetheless, copsin has the sought-after qualities that
make any substance with antibiotic potential desirable. Copsin is a very stable protein that can withstand
intense heat and exposure to acid. It can also be treated with
aggressive enzymes and remain completely active.
Plus, given the fact that it grows in common
mushrooms in horse manure, it's sufficiently copious. This makes it ideal for
applications in the food industry. Dr. Aebi and his team have registered copsin
for patent approval.
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