An article published by Nature Microbiology in June 2019, studied a new method in converting type A blood to the universal type O blood using bacteria found in the human gut! [1] A team led by Dr. Stephen Withers at the University of British Columbia has developed a method which would eliminate the need for blood-type compatibility, reducing the risks of blood transfusions.
There are 8 different blood types, and before these findings, these blood types were not all compatible with each other. Each blood type can only receive from other specific types. When doctors are going to transfuse blood to patients, they need to match the type of blood to one that can safely match with the patient’s blood type. If they don’t, the body will not know how to handle the new type of blood. This can cause blood vessels to rupture, which can be fatal.
This problem has existed since blood transfusions were first scientifically achieved, and scientists have been looking for a solution for just as long. It turns out the solution was hiding right under our noses; inside our stomachs, to be specific!
Inside the human gut are thousands of microscopic bacteria which we use to digest food and convert it into energy. As it turns out, these bacteria are very good at safely interacting with the human body in helpful ways. The researchers extracted these microorganisms through human faeces and found they could be used in exactly the way they were hoping.
“Why would they be looking in our stomachs for this solution?” you might ask. The Withers group were on a hunt for a special kind of protein called an enzyme. Enzymes are produced by the body with a very specific task, and that task varies based on what the body wants it to do. Since our gut has the ability to process blood and turn it into energy, Withers and his team decided to see if these enzymes could be harnessed for their research. As it turns out, they were completely correct.
An enzyme interacting with a specific molecule (known as the substrate) in the body.[2]
Image depicting the difference between blood types A, O, and B. The image shows that removing the yellow square in A type blood, is the same as O type blood. Modified from [1].
While the process has been completed in the lab, it has yet to be scaled up to convert massive amounts of blood at a time. This may take some time to accomplish. However, it is impossible to quantify exactly how many people this new method will help, or even how many lives it will save. One thing is for certain, the world of blood donations will forever feel the impact of these findings.
References
- Rahfeld, P., Sim, L., Moon, H., Constantinescu, I., Morgan-Lang, C., Steven, J. H., Kizhakkedathu, J. N., Withers, S. G.; An enzymatic pathway in the human gut microbiome that converts A to universal O type blood. Nature Microbiology. 2019, 1475-1485.
- Western Oregon University: Chemistry. CH450 and CH451: Biochemistry – Defining Life at the Molecular Level. Chapter 6: Enzyme Principles and Biotechnological Applications. https://wou.edu/chemistry/courses/online-chemistry-textbooks/ch450-and-ch451-biochemistry-defining-life-at-the-molecular-level/chapter-7-enzyme-kinetics/ (accessed Mar 21, 2020)
- Community Blood Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania and Western New York. 56 facts about blood. https://fourhearts.org/facts/ (accessed March 22, 2020)
– Griffin Bare, Eric Ding, Chantell Jansz
