Bacteria, insects join forces against pesticide: Microbes in gut, rather than genetic changes, allow insects to develop chemical resistance

Farmers may rule above insects for many decades but in the future, they may need to think up a new solution to pests as pesticides may become useless.  In a research by a team of researchers in Japan, pesticide resistance in insects is discovered.  However, what surprised the researchers the most is that the resistance is not the result of evolution written in the genes but by a symbiotic relationship between the insects and bacteria.

Fenitrothion is a common pesticide used in agriculture but this toxin is fed on by Burkholderia bacteria.  The bacteria will break down the toxin into carbon that will be fed.  The researchers have soil filled with the toxin and with the bacteria.  Then bean bugs called Riptortus pedestris, is grown in the soil.  The bugs should have been killed by the fenitrothion but it survived.  Upon close analysis, instead of changes within the genes, the bacteria saved the bugs.  They live inside the bugs and returning the favor, they break down the toxin. 

This symbiotic relationship is worrisome since it happens in a short duration compared to evolution.  Evolution will take many generations to happen but this symbiosis happens in an instant.  The bacteria can also spread to other places.

This research demonstrated how organisms will adapt to survive and in this case, the bugs have a symbiotic relationship with bacteria to survive instead of relying on evolution.  This may become a huge problem in the future but with the way things are at the moment, very few insects are combating insecticides with this method.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/340213/title/Bacteria%2C_insects_join_forces_against_pesticide_

Powell, Devin. "Bacteria, insects join forces against pesticide ." ScienceNews MAGAZINE OF THE SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE & THE PUBLIC. 23 April 2012: n. page. Web. 7 May. 2012. <http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/340213/title/Bacteria,_insects_join_forces_against_pesticide_>.

              

Flies on Meth Burn through Sugar: Effect may explain why addicts often have a sweet tooth

Upon flipping through the Science News magazine, I stopped at the “Genes & Cells” section of the magazine.  This article is one of the articles in that section and I found it pretty interesting.  In the past, I have watched videos on the internet about the effects of animals on drugs and I think of it as a joke until I read this article.  This article is a summary of the study in PLoS ONE on April 20, 2011.  This study explains and describes the many damaging effects of methamphetamine on the cells and genes when tested on fruit flies.

Muscle degradation, bad sperm production, accelerating cells aging and change in sugar metabolism are some of the effects meth has on both the flies and humans discussed in the article.  The article focus on the alteration on the sugar metabolism in the cells affected with meth.  According to the study, the cells when on meth have the same effect of cells that are not getting enough oxygen.  When cells don’t have enough oxygen such as during exercise, the cells will break down sugar molecules stored inside the body.  However, cells that are on meth still display the same conditions although, they have plenty of oxygen.  The cause is unclear but the researchers deduced that meth turn on genes that cause the cells to break down sugar when the oxygen is still enough.  This depleted sugar supplies in the cells will cause the addicts to have a great desire for sugar.  In the experiment, the flies with sugar survive longer than the flies without sugar.

This study is connected to some of the topics that we have been learning in biology.  The topic about cells energetics and genetics are involved.  Anaerobic fermentation is when the cells break down sugar in the absence of oxygen and meth creates the same effect on the cells even though there is plenty of oxygen.  Genetics is also related to the study.  Epigenetics is the study of the turning on and off of the gene caused by the environment.  In the study, meth may have an effect on how the genes are turned on to create the conditions of sugar metabolism.


Citation

- Strain, Daniel. "Flies on meth burn through sugar." ScienceNews MAGAZINE OF THE SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE & THE PUBLIS. 21 May 2011: 14. Print.