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Can bacteria make snake venom?
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by septithol on May 9, 2005
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Here's another question for anyone who cares to answer. There are bacteria that have been genetically altered, they have had the gene for human insulin put into them, and now excrete insulin which is processed and used for diabetics. Do you think it would be possible to insert genes from a snake into such bacteria so that they would excrete snake venom (or alternately, specific useful compounds found in snake venom). If so, do you think this would be a good idea? Why or why not?
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RE: Can bacteria make snake venom?
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by CAISSACA on May 10, 2005
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Should be possible for individual toxins. Would it be a good idea... depends on what you want to do with the toxins, really. Cloning toxin genes into common human wound bacteria would be A VERY BAD IDEA, for instance...
I hope Osama isn't reading this...
Cheers,
WW
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RE: Can bacteria make snake venom?
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by BGF on May 10, 2005
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Bacteria can be modified to secrete pretty much any protein. Snake toxins (and other toxin types such as spider, cone snail etc.) are routinely expressed in the lab for the purpose of accumulating enough for studies. Typically this is done when the protein is a pain to isolate from the crude venom or is present in such small amounts that it makes the expense of bacterial expression worthwhile.
Cheers
Bryan
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