But this causes some problems, as demand for type O blood often outstrips supply.
Protein Clippers
One way to solve the supply crunch is to snip away the sugar molecule in the A and B groups, giving antibodies no targets, said Henrik Clausen, a sugar biologist at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
Researchers elsewhere had demonstrated this could be done. But Clausen and his colleagues looked at hundreds of different bacteria for enzymes that could do the task much more efficiently.
"Think of the sugar molecules attached to a blood cell as a string of pearls," Clausen said.
"We carefully clipped away one pearl that was the 'A' and 'B' in the blood groups A, B, and AB, making the blood acceptable to all recipients," he added.
"The process may help address the current blood shortage."
Clausen's findings are outlined in this week's issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology.
Blood Supply
The method is useful in generating the type of blood from groups A and B that will help all recipients when there is a shortage in blood supply, said the University of Bristol's Daniels.
"On a more immediate level, it will help patients who need regular transfusions, and specifically require blood from group O."
According to study leader Clausen, "accidental transfusion of the wrong type of blood has a higher risk of death than infectious disease.
"This method makes blood transfusion more safe."
Free Email News Updates
Best Online Newsletter, 2006 Codie Awards
Sign up for our Inside National Geographic newsletter. Every two weeks we'll send you our top stories and pictures (see sample).
|
SOURCES AND RELATED WEB SITES
|
