anti-bacteria – BioQuakes

Two Parent Burying Beetles in a Dead Rodent! Gross!

Typically, death for animals is experienced at the end of one’s life, but this is reversed for a certain species of carrion beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides or burying beetle, in which infant beetles are born and raised within dead mice carcasses. In this mice carcass, parent beetles frequently tend to the dead animal by soaking it with their own oral and anal secretions, providing the baby beetle with a much needed dark microbial film. This bacterial goo actually closely resembles the parent beetle’s gut microbiomes, allowing for the baby beetle to truly thrive as an offspring of this beetle.

But why give these baby beetles this goo within a dead carcass? What benefit would that ever give to an insect?

In every living thing, there is sphere of personal bacteria that provide much needed life benefits as well as qualities like your own stench. Plus, bacteria can even join together through various forms of cellular communication, making an almost impenetrable microfilm biome for bacteria to live in, as seen in plaque on human teeth. This same function is what helps support infant beetles with necessary nutrients and life benefits by keeping the cadaver fresh and capable of sustaining youngster life. Plus, it even causes dead bodies to smell actually not terrible, but instead more pleasant! Crazy! “What burying beetle parents can do with a small dead animal is remarkable,” says coauthor Shantanu Shukla of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany. “It looks different. It smells different. It’s completely transformed by the beetles.”

If these insects aren’t exposed to these microbiomes as a child, there could be some serious detrimental effects. As shown by Shukla’s lab work, larvae grown in cadavers that were swept clean of biofilm by Shukla and her colleagues used their food less efficiently and gained less weight (“roughly third less weight per gram than those who had their parents goo”).

But, the parents are not the only ones who manipulate the carcass, which can be seen here. As parent beetles and tended to their goo in the body and guarding their children, the infant beetles also add their own secretions to the dead mouse and also eat away the bacteria as well as the entire mouse body. “What will remain is the tail of the mouse,” Shukla says, “and the skull and a few pieces of skin.”

Isn’t it simply crazy how much bacteria can contribute to the growth of a baby insect as well as its impact on even a dead animal? Comment below about what YOU think about this!

Remember triclosan? You know, that anti-bacteria agent we once talked about? Well, according to a new story in the Norwegian Environment and Childhood Asthma Study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and an American study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, triclosan can contribute to an increased risk of allergy development in children.

As we know it, triclosan

is used to prevent bacterial growth
does not work against all types of bacteria
added mostly to cosmetic products such as toothpaste, deodorant and soap
also added to kitchen utensils and textiles
little triclosan is absorbed through the skin
significant absorption through the mucous membranes in the mouth (toothpaste)
has been in use for over 40 years in some products
from animal experiments we know that triclosan acts to reinforce the development of Immunoglobulin (IgE) towards allergens

In the study, 623 urine samples were collected and measured at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, USA. Approximately 50 per cent of the Norwegian children had detectable levels of triclosan, while 80 per cent of American children had measurable levels. The children had approximately the same amount of triclosan exposure. The new Norwegian study found similar associations between allergies and triclosan levels measured in children’s urine. The study found that triclosan levels measured in urine were associated with elevated levels of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and rhinitis (blocked nose/hay fever) in 10 year-olds.

When in contact with triclosan, ones bacteria on the skin, in the mouth, and in the intestines can be compromised. Some of the bacteria destroyed is “good” bacteria which can cause an increased risk of developing allergies (hygiene hypothesis). Therefore, increased use of triclosan and antibacterial products has generally been associated with an increased incidence of allergies.

In a study of triclosan use in Norway in 2001, it was found that 85 per cent of the total amount of triclosan came from cosmetic products, of which 75 per cent were toothpaste. Since this study, triclosan has been removed from a variety of products.

For products to make sure you stay away from, please visit this link.

(Taken by Nationaal Archief)

BioQuakes

AP Biology class blog for discussing current research in Biology

Tag: anti-bacteria

A Baby Beetle’s Nursery is.. In a Dead Mouse?!

Anti-bacteria or Pro-allergy?

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