Ren Lai and colleagues point out that scientists know little about the germ-fighting proteins in amphibian brains, despite many studies showing that amphibians synthesize and secrete a remarkably diverse array of antimicrobial substances in their skin.

So they decided to begin filling that knowledge gap by analyzing brains from the Giant Fire-Bellied Toad and the Small-webbed Bell Toad.

They discovered 79 different antimicrobial peptides, the components of proteins, including 59 that were totally new to science. The diversity of the peptides "is, to our knowledge, the most extreme yet described for any animal brains," they noted.

Some of the peptides showed strong antimicrobial activity, crippling or killing strains of staph bacteria, E. coli, and the fungus that causes yeast infections in humans.

These promising findings suggest that the toad brains might be a valuable source for developing new antibacterial and antiviral drugs.

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Japan can pay for rebuild: central bank governor Japan hula girls to save hot springs from nuclear fallout Japan police find 10 bodies in nuclear zone Nuclear workers face radiation limit, but fight on Material Devloped To Remove Radioactive Contaminants From Drinking Water Store blood cells from Fukushima workers - Lancet letter Using Carbon Fiber To Reinforce Buildings And Protect From Explosions Better Lasers For Optical Communications Sushi bars in Paris adjust to life after Fukushima BP feels fishermen's fury over Gulf oil spill Aussies sink frigate to create a reef EU fishing rules are fully operational: commission West Antarctic Warming Triggered By Warmer Sea Surface In Tropical Pacific Arctic Sea Ice Flights Near Completion Sand Drift Explained Russia Plans To Spend 195 Million Dollars On Antarctic Research Up To 2013 New Citrus Variety Released By Uc Riverside Is Very Sweet, Juicy And Low-Seeded Brazil issues $1.2 bln in fines on beef companies Five held in China steamed bun probe Invasive Plant Threat Depends On Spatial One year on, Iceland volcano sleeps, but world still quakes An Electric Yellowstone Makes For Super Visuals Body of US tsunami victim found on beach US offers help after Namibia flooding UN should not take sides in I.Coast: Medvedev Sierra Leone investigates a mining land acquisition Gbagbo on pro-Ouattara TV: 'I want us to lay down arms' EU split over African migration's 'human tsunami' Scripps Research Scientists Identify Mechanism Of Long-Term Memory Negative Image Of People Produces Selfish Actions Single 'ancestor' language theorized Are Your Values Right Or Left? The Answer Is More Literal Than You Think