InsurrectionTVE program presented David BroncanoYesterday brought science back to normal. prime time. Those interviewed on Wednesday, November 13, were Marcos de la Pena and Maria Jose Lopez Gallianotwo of the discoverers of a new biological creature called Obelisk.
Both were part of an international research team led by a Nobel laureate. Andrew Fire. The study also involved other scientists from the UPV Institute of Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology and CSIC, to which they belong, as well as some researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada.
Obelisks are infectious biological objects and have been found inside bacteria present in mouth and intestines human beings. Although they were subsequently found in many other environments: from sewage to rivers, as well as in other non-human animals. It is currently unknown what the obelisk’s function is, other than its infectious potential. However, as explained in Insurrection Lopez Galliano herself could perhaps help in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. And this, given the level of danger that these bacteria have reached in recent years, would be great news.
First discoveries about the Obelisk
The research of these scientists began with an analysis feces 440 people. It is logical that they contained ordinary bacteria from gut microbiota Human. But their goal was not so much to analyze these bacteria as the possible pathogens they contain. And just as viruses infect our cells, they can also infect bacteria.
When analyzed through bioinformatics molecules present in some of these gut bacteria, they found some interesting RNA molecules. Computer algorithms have found that they have infectious potential. But these were not viruses. It is true that viruses can sometimes be detected by the RNA they contain. It’s about Protein-coding RNA. That is, it contains instructions that, once they enter the cells they infect, they produce proteins useful for their survival. These RNA molecules they discovered also coded for proteins. However, unlike viruses, they were not surrounded by an envelope. protein coat. In addition, there was a lot less.
The second option was that it was viroids. These are very small RNA molecules containing self-cutting proteins called ribozymes that can catalyze certain chemical reactions. In this they agreed with this new discovery. However, viroids They are not capable of encoding proteinsWith. Thus, these scientists were faced with a new biological entity, halfway between a virus and a viroid. This was something new and he needed a name. For this reason, given its rod-like structure, it was called an obelisk.
Very well distributed entity
The obelisks were in 7% of 440 items whose feces were analyzed. But could they be in other places?
Once identified, samples were taken from the intestines of other animals, as well as from other environments such as rivers, lakes, oceans or sewage. In most of these places they found up to 30,000 different types of obelisks.
Returning to the people, they decided analyze other microbiota. For example, bacteria that live in our mouth. Thus, they discovered that specific bacteria from this environment, Staphylococcus bloodthere were a large number of obelisks inside. Moreover, up to 50% of bacteria of this species isolated in the mouths of volunteers were infected with this new object.
What is the obelisk for?
The function of the obelisk is currently unknown. Since it looks like a cross between a viroid and a virus, it could give us interesting information about evolution of viruses. It may also play an important role in human health. Let’s not forget that the microbiota consists of a set of microorganisms that are beneficial to us, which must be maintained in balance so that they do not arise. certain diseases. Infectious agents that can change this balance can provide us with information about certain diseases.
But they can also have their own uses. They are not found in all bacteria, so it is unknown whether they can infect all bacteria and what their effects are. However, if these could be better understood, perhaps they could help combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. What Broncano and the public think Insurrectionwould be worthy Nobel Prize.
Source: Hiper Textual
