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Post by leeloo on Aug 9, 2016 8:42:39 GMT -5
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Post by sokkos on Aug 9, 2016 9:48:24 GMT -5
Very interesting and novel work! The original journal article is here: www.nature.com/articles/srep30980. It is open access. I remember reading a paper suggesting it was possible to identify Nepenthes based on their pitcher protein profile (http://www.amjbot.org/content/100/12/2478.full) but when I tried to re-do the experiment, I had problems getting enough protein from the pitchers to analyze. Five litres of pitcher fliud...that's dedication!
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Post by porcorosso on Aug 9, 2016 11:35:01 GMT -5
Haha, I was about to post this link too. Interesting article.
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Post by dvg on Aug 9, 2016 13:12:44 GMT -5
I recall that the Urban Bog, back when they were still operating, was supplying the Nepenthes fluid for that U of Calgary research.
And collecting that much Nep fluid was a bit of a challenging endeavor.
Jack and Jeannie at HB were even approached at one point to see if they could help contribute to the study.
dvg
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Post by porcorosso on Aug 9, 2016 14:47:17 GMT -5
I recall that the Urban Bog, back when they were still operating, was supplying the Nepenthes fluid for that U of Calgary research. And collecting that much Nep fluid was a bit of a challenging endeavor. Jack and Jeannie at HB were even approached at one point to see if they could help contribute to the study. dvg Me and my brother were just chatting about this. We are both under the impression that it is those ladies in Vancouver who took over keen's ( yip the urban bog) who did this. I am still mystified why they didn't use bigger traps for the studies. Like a rajah or truncata, they could have supplied the six litres of enzyme in no time. My truncata spits out traps that are thirteen to fourteen inches and has a loooooot of fluid in them, realistically at least 40-60 ml, let alone the nectar that they produce on the outside ( the nectar is a different substance I am sure... ) Still... Ultra keen study! interesting to see what will come of it. And though i am confused on the choice of traps, I am stoked that someone went to all the trouble to contribute it. It does seem time consuming and challenging.. but worthwhile! Soon all will be able to enjoy the wonders of glutinous bread! Big props to the science folks and the gardeners !!!!!
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Post by sokkos on Aug 10, 2016 8:08:23 GMT -5
In their methods they mentioned 100 pots of ventrata. I'm guessing they used whatever species they had the largest quantity of, and probably what was easiest to grow. I think ultimately it wouldn't matter where the enzyme originally came because they will probably need to use another system to produce commercial quantities o a synthetic version.
What I'm really interested in is what directs the enzyme to be secreted into the pitcher. The fluid, before the pitcher is open, should be sterile. Imagine engineering a Nepenthes to produce a valuable protein pharmaceutical (eg Ebola antibodies) then being able to stick a syringe into the pitcher and extract the medicine already sterile and in liquid form!
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Post by amanitovirosa on Aug 18, 2016 21:47:09 GMT -5
...even though I find this topic fascinating, it will never materialize. The pharmaceutical corporations would never allow it, even if enough research was done to prove the validitiy. It would cut into their profits. Kind of like the oil giants not really supporting the electric car. Sour times we live in.
AV.
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Post by lloyd on Aug 18, 2016 22:48:07 GMT -5
...even though I find this topic fascinating, it will never materialize. The pharmaceutical corporations would never allow it, even if enough research was done to prove the validitiy. It would cut into their profits. Kind of like the oil giants not really supporting the electric car. Sour times we live in. AV. If they could patent it, synthesize and market it, they would do it. There's no way you could make enough of the enzyme by growing Neps, even on a plantation (That would be quite a sight!). So maybe some day some big Pharma will sell "Nepazyme" Capsules for Celiac Disease sufferers. After all Beano and Lactaid are on the market.
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