Mutant Rats Resist Warfarin
- Date:
- February 17, 2009
- Source:
- BMC Genetics
- Summary:
- A new series of mutations have been discovered that allow rats to resist the effects of the popular poison warfarin. New research describes 18 new genetic changes found in rats from four continents.
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A new series of mutations have been discovered that allow rats to resist the effects of the popular poison warfarin. New research describes eighteen new genetic changes found in rats from four continents.
Simone Rost from the University of Wuerzburg, Germany, and an international team of researchers studied more than 250 rats and mice from anticoagulant-exposed areas in Europe, East Asia, South Africa and the Americas. Rost explained that, "Resistance against warfarin-like compounds has been reported in rodent populations from many countries around the world and poses a considerable problem for efficacy of pest control."
Warfarin and related compounds are derivatives of the plant toxin coumarin. They prevent blood coagulation by repressing the enzyme vitamin-K reductase (VKOR). Rost and colleagues studied VKORC1, the gene responsible for a key component of the VKOR multiprotein complex. According to the authors, "Mutations in VKORC1 may cause a heritable resistance to warfarin, possibly by preventing coumarin derivatives from interfering with the activity of the reductase enzyme".
Story Source:
Materials provided by BMC Genetics. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Simone Rost, Hans-Joachim Pelz, Sandra Menzel, Alan D MacNicoll, Vanina Leon, Ki-Joon Song, Thomas Jaekel, Johannes Oldenburg and Clemens R Muller. Novel mutations in the VKORC1 gene of wild rats and mice - a response to 50 years of selection pressure by warfarin? BMC Genetics, (in press)
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