Locust brains could thwart superbug plagues
13:03 06 September 2010 by Andy Coghlan

Extracts from the brains of locusts and cockroaches can kill hospital superbugs. Work is under way to identify the active ingredients, which could ultimately result in the first antibiotics originating from insects.

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Something in its head can kill superbugs (Image: Stephen Dalton/NHPA)

Nine distinct chemical extracts from the locust brain killed Escherichia coli, which can cause food poisoning, and seven killed Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the problematic superbug sweeping hospitals and communities throughout the western world.

Researchers screened brains, along with other tissues, for antibacterial activity on the grounds that the brain is the most vital organ for locusts to protect. "Without [the brain] they die, whereas they can survive losing limbs such as legs," says Simon Lee of the University of Nottingham, UK. "From the locust's point of view, it's important that the central nervous system is protected all the time against bacteria and other pathogens," he says. As he expected, only brain extracts were active.

Lee is currently conducting further analyses to identify the active components of the extracts, thought to be proteins because they stopped working when exposed to protein-degrading enzymes. He has also shown that the extracts don't harm human cells. "But we're a long way from these being active drugs," he says.

Lee reported his findings this week at a meeting of the UK's Society for General Microbiology in Nottingham.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19404-locust-brains-could-thwart-superbug-plagues.html

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译文如下：

蝗虫与蟑螂大脑可杀灭超级细菌

撰文：Andy Coghlan
译者：Docofsoul
《新科学家》2010年9月6日13:03报道

蝗虫与蟑螂大脑萃取物能够杀灭医院里的超级细菌。目前科学家正在证实其有效成分，最终将可能制造出第一批来自昆虫的抗生素。

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蝗虫大脑里某种物质可杀灭超级细菌（图片来源：Stephen Dalton/NHPA)

从蝗虫大脑提取的九种截然不同的化学物杀灭了可导致食物中毒的大肠杆菌，其中有七种化学物则杀灭耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA），即横扫西方世界医院与社区的令人梦寐难安的超级细菌。

因为大脑是蝗虫需要保护的最重要的器官，为了观察该器官内的抗菌活动情况，研究者扫描了蝗虫大脑与其它组织。英国诺丁汉大学的Simon Lee 说：“没有（大脑的话）蝗虫就会死亡，而失去腿等肢节蝗虫仍然能够存活。站在蝗虫的立场上看，始终保护中枢神经系统使之免受细菌与其它病原体侵袭是至关重要的。” 因此他认为，只有蝗虫大脑的萃取物才会有效。

Simon Lee目前正在进一步分析证实萃取物中的有效成分。该成分可能是蛋白质，因为接触蛋白降解酶时会失去效力。他也显示了萃取物对人类细胞无害。“但是，要让这些成分成为有效的药物，还有一条很长的路要走。”他说。

他是在本周向英国普通微生物学协会的一次会议上提交这一报告的。

（Docofsoul译于2010年9月7日）