In the article "Biochemists' discovery could lead to vaccine against 'flesh eating' bacteria," a group of biochemists were able to find a potential marker to use for vaccination. A group of researchers lead by Partho Ghosh of UC San Diego, were able to find a hidden pattern in the way Necrotizing Fasciitis (also known as A Strep or 'flesh eating' bacteria) varies its M Protein, the outer protein coat of this disease. The protein is labeled as having hyper variability, due to the many different strains each having a different protein that manifests, labeled as the M Protein. This is an obvious problem for vaccine makers, because it makes it nearly impossible to create a vaccine that is effective against all of the various strains.
The researchers found that a human protein, C4BP, was recruited to the surface of the bacteria by many different protein types. The bacteria does this to try and slow down the immune systems response by using this protein as camouflage. If scientists can stop the M Proteins from interacting with C4BP and take advantage of the bacteria bringing C4BP to the surface, it could pave the way to finding a vaccine. By finding a way to train antibodies to recognize multiple M Proteins like C4BP does, a vaccine could potentially be produced.
I learned a lot about the importance of proteins in the development of vaccines from reading this article. It was fascinating to me that a bacteria could use a human protein as protection against the immune system and do so with great effect. I was particularly interested in this topic because I had the opportunity this summer to go on a medical mission to Tonga and we saw Necrotizing Fasciitis while we where there. It was sad to see some of the suffering that was caused by this bacteria. Too often we think of society as where we live, but society as a whole is a world wide affair. Just because we don't see A Strep all that often in the US doesn't mean that it isn't a problem for other parts of society. the fact that this bacteria could be potentially eradicated via vaccine is a very good thing for society.
this is a very interesting article, I wonder what exactly the plan to do to stop the C4BP and M Protein from interacting.
ReplyDelete-K.F.
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ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating article. I am sure most everyday people do not think that flesh eating bacteria is a real thing, but it is a real. I just never realized that the bacteria just has the ability to vary its structure to be different from each other. Based on the report maybe a good way to combat the bacteria is to create a vaccine that will attach to the C4BP in a way so that the bacteria can not attach itself. Or maybe the vaccine could be attached to C4BP to when the bacteria comes it could attach then to the bacteria to fight it off. -D.D.
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly what I was thinking. I knew that flesh eating bacteria was a thing, but I had no idea that it was a serious problem. I like reading things like this because they open my eyes to a lot of the things that are happening around the world.
DeleteHow is this flesh-eating bacteria currently being treated? Is there at least a way to slow it down?
ReplyDelete-Ashley B.
I am not sure if the article talks about what the currently treatments are. As far as I know from news report is that there is not much treatment that can be done. More often then not if the bacteria is found soon enough and has not spread to far, amputation is the only "treatment" to stop the spread to the rest of the body. I remember hearing a news report several months ago about a recent attack of the bacteria. -D.D.
DeleteIt is very interesting that it's using the human body to continue to destroy the human body. It also makes it harder that the protein has hyper variability. That is why some vaccines take forever to find.
ReplyDelete-Jaydon Ryan seccion-008
Very interesting and intriguing subject matter. I wonder if it would be possible to create an enzyme or something to inhibit the M proteins from interacting with C4BP. Even then, that wouldn't be a permanent solution, just a quick fix. I don't know much about A Strep but it has always sounded terrifying to me. Did the article talk about how A Strep is treated today?
ReplyDelete-Alex G.
My first reaction to this article was in response to that nasty picture. I automatically wanted to read this article to find out what was going on in it, and I found it really interesting. I didn't know that this was even a big problem that people were working on solving. I think it is so interesting to read about how people come up with such creative and innovative ways of solving life's problems.
ReplyDeleteI had a question. How common is this problem? You mentioned that it is not as common in the US as it is in other countries, but is it very common in other places?
ReplyDeleteHow many different strains of flesh eating bacteria are there? I'm wondering because I think it would be difficult to find a cure for them all.
ReplyDeleteSkyler H.
I think that this article is very intriguing due to the fact that the outcome of this discovery could be so helpful to developing a vaccine. I like how it also includes information about the process of developing the vaccine as well.
ReplyDelete--A.S.