Scientists Discover Bug With Cholesterol-Busting Properties

Scientists at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, have discovered a novel species of bacteria with cholesterol-busting properties.

The new bug, called Gordonia cholesterolivorans, was isolated from sewage sludge.

Cholesterol - Lipoproteins - Functions - Normal Blood Cholesterol Levels - Causes - Treatment - FAQs
Cholesterol is produced by the body (liver) and is essential for normal body functioning.

A steroid found in all body tissues, cholesterol is used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries as stabilizer, emollient and water-binding agent.

As a consequence, steroids - including cholesterol - are a major group of contaminants in urban sewage residues.

Gordonia bacteria have only been classed as a separate group of bacteria since 1997 but they have already proved useful as they are able to degrade a wide range of environmental pollutants including phthalates (used in plastics), rubber and hazardous compounds such as the explosive hexogen (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine).

Cholesterol - The Enigma Chemical
The word 'Cholesterol' rings danger bells as soon as it is mentioned. This important chemical is important for the normal metabolism of the body and is dangerous only if present in excess.

Gordonia cholesterolivorans' ability to break down cholesterol means that it could be used to clean up contamination.

Study author Dr Oliver Drzyzga and colleagues are studying the genetics of this novel bacterium to genetically modify strains that might also be used to synthesise new and industrially useful breakdown products of cholesterol.

High Cholesterol | Hypercholesterolemia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
High cholesterol level in blood are a risk for heart disease and stroke. They get deposited in the wall of the arteries and clog the circulation posing a threat to life.

"New steroid compounds made by these bacteria may find applications in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors in the future, but as some Gordonia species are pathogenic to humans it is unlikely that they could be used directly to treat high cholesterol-related conditions in humans", said Drzyzga.

"We are trying to work out exactly how Gordonia cholesterolivorans metabolises cholesterol so that we can identify and construct metabolically engineered strains that are more rapid and effective in breaking down cholesterol," Drzyzga added.

Protein Controls 'Bad' Cholesterol Levels Outside Cells
A protein called PCSK9, which regulates 'bad' cholesterol in the blood, has been found to work almost exclusively outside cells, according to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Centre.

Their findings are reported in the current issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

Source-ANI
SRM