The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has announced that it is soliciting proposals for research into whether live “ rapacious ” bacterium could be used to treat humans or animals infected with biologic federal agent such as pestilence , Q febricity or tularemia .
As DARPAexplains :
This approach would represent a substantial departure from schematic antibacterial therapies that rely on small atom antibiotic drug . While antibiotics have been remarkably in effect in the past , their widespread utilisation has led to the egress of antibiotic - resistant bacterial infections that are difficult or impossible to treat .
In vitro work have usher that marauder such as Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus and Micavibrio aeruginosavorus can feed upon more than one hundred dissimilar human pathogen and will also prey on multi - drug repellent bacteria .
The estimation of using “ living antiobiotics ” has been discussed inscientific literaturefor twelvemonth , but there are significant practical obstacles to overcome . As the DARPA appeal makes open , researchers will have to address three fundamental questions :
Are predator toxic to recipient ( host ) being ?
Against what pathogen ( prey ) are vulture efficacious ?
Can pathogens develop resistivity to depredation ?
you could show a terminated description of the DARPA task , “ Pathogen Predators ” at theFederal Business Opportunitieswebsite .
[ persona : The predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus , via theMax PlanckInstitute for Developmental Biology ]
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