![]() One of the reasons behind the platypus’s physiological uniqueness comes from its evolutionary history as a monotreme. The platypus is also one of the few mammals to produce venom. The team at CSIRO are seeing collaborators to investigate the potential life-saving benefits of their platypus research, and develop more knowledge about the protein structure. Female mammals feed milk to their young through specialized nipples or teats female platypuses do not have teats and instead simply sweat milk to their young. Yet, despite its odd appearance, the milk of the platypus was found to contain unique. The WHO said urgent action was needed to avoid a "post-antibiotic era" where common medicines were unable to tackle common infections, and currently curable ailments would again become deadly. Carbohydrate composition of milk from the eclridna, the platypus, and three species of marsupials: gray kangaroo, Ma- crops gigantezs brush-tailed possum. At first glance, the platypus looks like an animal that could be the product of a creative imagination. The work of the team follows a report in 2014 in which the World Health Organisaiton warned about the threat posed by antibiotic resistance. They found that the protein contained a unique 3D fold which had never been seen before in the structure of the molecule.īecause of the ringlet style of the gold, they named it the "Shirley Temple" in tribute to the child star's distinctive hair.ĭr Newman added: "Although we've identified this highly unusual protein as only existing in monotremes, this discovery increases our knowledge of protein structures in general, and will go on to inform other drug discovery work done at the Centre," Dr Newman said. The next phase of the work will reveal whether the discovery could be meaningful in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.Dr Julie Sharp of Deakin University said: "We were interested to examine the protein's structure and characteristics to find out exactly what part of the protein was doing what." The protein’s novel structure is thought to be responsible for its remarkable resistance to bacteria, and the researchers now hope to extend their work by applying this newfound knowledge to antibiotic creation. ![]() The animals have developed an odd, curly fold in their milk protein which led the team to dub it the “Shirley Temple” in honor of the child star’s iconic hair. By recreating the protein in a laboratory the researchers were able to study it in greater detail, and that’s when they realized just how remarkable it was. Those unique properties are related to the shape of the protein structure in the milk. ![]() “By taking a closer look at their milk, we’ve characterized a new protein that has unique antibacterial properties with the potential to save lives.” “The platypus belongs to the monotreme family, a small group of mammals that lay eggs and produce milk to feed their young,” Dr Janet Newman, lead author of the study, explains. In a new paper published in Structural Biology Communications, Australian scientists reveal the strange properties that give platypus milk incredible antibiotic power, and the breakthrough could yield a new tool for fighting dangerous bacteria.ĭon't Miss : Your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick will never buffer again with this $17 accessory With their duck-like bill and rodent-like bodies, the creatures have always been fascinating, and researchers now know that their milk is just as bizarre as the animals themselves. ![]() Now, new research is helping scientists rethink their approach to antibiotics, and their inspiration comes from a rather unlikely source: platypus milk. As antibiotic use has spiked over the past century or so, the potential for antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” has grown ever more frightening. Modern medicine has done a great job at creating antibiotics to fight infection - in fact, it might be doing too good of a job. ![]()
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