"The protein folds into a three-dimensional shape and once we can see that shape, we can guess at its function." "If I was to show you two pictures of runners and I told you one was a marathon runner and one was a sprinter, you could tell which one was which, because form follows function. "It turns out the shape of something and how it works are very intimately related, and that doesn't matter if it's a protein or if it's something bigger," Dr Newman said. It's this shape, along with what it is made from, that plays a role in the protein's antibacterial properties. The protein in question looks like a mass of ringlets, which prompted the researchers to name it "Shirley Temple" after the curly-haired child actor. Once Dr Newman's research team identified the protein's structure, they used the platypus genome to make a synthetic version that they can reproduce over and over again. 'Shirley Temple' protein foldįrom a small sample of platypus milk, CSIRO scientist Dr Janet Newman extracted the protein and coaxed it into a form that could be used for X-ray crystallography experiments. There's a particular protein in the milk that is known to have antibacterial properties - and research published in Structural Biology Communications in January has now identified a curly clue to its bug-fighting ability. This means the milk is exposed to dirt and bacteria in a way that other mammals' milk is not. Platypuses don't have nipples, but secrete milk onto little pads on their bellies for their babies to lap up. It has to, because of the way a baby platypus feeds. Researchers have known for some years that platypus milk has special antibacterial properties. Now it seems an unusual ringlet-like protein in their milk could help in the fight against superbugs. Its fur is waterproof and traps an insulating layer of air next to its skin.Platypuses are, plainly put, oddly shaped - those flat bills, beaver-like tails and venomous spurs. It can reduce blood flow to areas of its body that have no fur, particularly its tail, rear feet and bill. The platypus keeps its body temperature constant by controlling the heat produced from metabolism (all the chemical reactions that occur in the body). Although it has no teeth, the platypus uses grinding plates on the upper and lower surfaces of the jaw to chew its food. It helps the animal to find its way, to search for food and to pick up electrical discharges from its prey. The duck-like bill of the platypus is a flexible, soft and very sensitive organ. It has sharp vision over long distances, but because its eyes are towards the top of its head it cannot see objects directly under its nose. The platypus has no outer ear lobe, and both its eyes and ears close when it dives. When digging a burrow or moving on land, platypuses can fold away their webbed foot extensions. The forelegs push the animal through the water while the hind legs trail behind, acting as stability rudders. With their slightly flattened, streamlined body and short, stout legs, they are well-adapted for swimming. This fur ranges in colour from grey to dark brown. Under their long, coarse outer hair is a fine, dense underfur which is woolly in texture. Platypuses are dark brown on their backs and generally light brown on their bellies. The average male platypus is about 50 centimetres long (head to tail) while females measure about 43 centimetres. The platypus and two species of echidna are the world's only monotremes, or egg-laying mammals.Ībout half the size of a household cat, adult males and females can differ greatly in size and weight.
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