Thursday, April 05, 2007

Type O for All

Via GeekPress: The BBC reports that scientists have found a possible way to change the type of donated blood to O:

The new technique works by using bacterial enzymes to cut sugar molecules from the surface of red blood cells.
After a search of 2,500 fungi and bacteria the researchers discovered two bacteria - Elizabethkingia meningosepticum and Bacterioides fragilis - which contained potentially useful enzymes.
They found that enzymes from both bacteria were able to remove both A and B antigens from red blood cells.

No comments: