Environmental News

Bacteria share genetic information useful for antibiotic resistance, and many other things. Horizontal gene transfer is unlike procedures followed by animals (including readers here).

Recent study interpreted for general audiences:

The extraordinary powers of bacteria visualized in real time -- ScienceDaily

May still leave these matters a bit too mysterious. Or maybe just my opinion? Anyway, broad outlines are part of your basic biological literacy.

There will be a test. Sometime. Maybe.

 

Amusing

Godzilla is back and he's bigger than ever: The evolutionary biology of the monster -- ScienceDaily

But likely to fuel opinion that scientists get too silly sometimes. That Science (journal) is enabling.

 

Kill mosquitoes to reduce malaria:

Transgenic fungus rapidly killed malaria mosquitoes in West African study: Technology could safely reduce malaria mosquito populations, including insecticide-resistant strains -- ScienceDaily

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My explainer-explainer. This fungus selectively infects mosquitoes (similar ones have been used for biocontrol of beetle pests). Authors assert that other insects particularly bees are not affected, but IMO there are many other useful insects to consider.

Fungus by itself is not harmful enough to mosquitoes, so they insert a gene to produce something very similar to a funnel-web spider toxin. That insertion is done with a bacteria, which is not unusual. You've heard of CRISPR to edit genes, but to insert whole new ones, bacteria and viruses are main tools.

Toxin is derived from atraxotoxin, which is extremely powerful. Most surprising to me in this media explainer is this derivative ("hybrid") is already and EPA-approved insecticide. I'd want to be far away from wherever that insecticide is being sprayed. Ideally inside a Sydney, Australia ambulance because they carry around atraxotoxin antitoxin

OK, on to open-field trials. One hopes this works exactly as expected. Scary, probably unlikely bad outcomes could include harm to different beneficial insects. Total sci-fi scenario involves mosquitoes developing immunity to this engineered fungus and injecting something like atraxotoxin into human targets. At least you would not have to wait around to die from malaria

 

Trangenic =/= transgender but you knew that eh?

Crichton's Malcolm character is pretty much the only thing people know about Chaos. It's sad, really.

 

We've every reason to expect this research will be conducted cautiously. But this is first example I know with anything close to a wacky toxin being (indirectly) engineered into any insect.

For science fiction purposes, these totally well-intentioned folks are troubleshooting how to get toxins into insects. Entire range of neurotoxins is amazing and I've mentioned them before. Trick would be to find one that is least harmful to insects*, then add mosquitoes.

They are already world's most dangerous animal (largely because of malaria vectoring). Add a whacky toxin and whoa Nelly.

*This would be a terrible terrible thing to do. Meanwhile, every new neurotoxin gets its amino-acid sequence published somewhere. And you can buy the effing things.

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I agree that movie science should be more accurate, as science classrooms often fail to engage their audiences. However, this should be done without spelling out E-Z Armageddon.

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Probably told before about making students swim to shore when I saw a sea snake. Sea snakes Sheesh.

 

Not us:

 

Nah. We were taking a day off from terrestrial tropical ecology at a fine beach in NW Costa Rica. I did enjoy seeing my first Elapid, but had to say

"OK everybody swims to shore right now"

-- whine whine whine --

"This is not a request"

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Totally opposite situation, snorkeling near Cozumel. A Moray eel was sighted and panic ensued. Everybody found the exits. I had the bay to myself. Me and Maurie. Cute little fella, capable of de-fingering but nothing more.

 

Land-snake scenario. Elevate affected limb. No cutting, no tourniquet, don't move. Send pals for anti venom.

Sea-snake scenario. Required to swim ashore and circulate venom. Sheesh.