Discovery of enzymes that convert different blood types into type 1

Scientists have discovered the ability of Akkermansia muciniphila bacteria to split mucins, the main component of the mucous membrane in the digestive system, similar in structure to the antigens that determine human blood type.

The journal Nature Microbiology indicates that people annually donate more than 118 million standard units of blood worldwide from all types. That is, using these enzymes to convert all donated blood types to the first type will greatly simplify logistics and reduce the possibility of an error occurring during operations or other medical procedures.

These enzymes were discovered by a scientific team headed by Professor Maher Hashem from Danish Technische University during his study of the enzymes of the aforementioned bacteria that live in the human intestine. Based on this property of these bacteria, the scientific team decided to use the enzymes of these bacteria to convert donated blood samples from the second, third and fourth groups into blood from the first group by purifying them from antigens. Guided by this idea, the scientists isolated the genes responsible for the production of 23 different forms of the myosin glycoside hydrolase enzyme, and monitored its effect on blood antigens A and B.

It became clear to the researchers from these experiments that a group of six glycoside hydrolases produced by Akkermansia muciniphila cells was able to destroy almost all known and unknown subtypes of antigens A and B, and completely purify donor blood samples of these molecules. This process takes about 30 minutes and does not require heating the treated biological material, which distinguishes this group of microbial enzymes from other methods of blood transfusion.

Scientists hope that this breakthrough discovery will facilitate the process of transferring donated blood from all types to patients after converting it using Akkermansia muciniphila enzymes to type 1, which reduces the need to collect and store large quantities of blood from type 1 because it is safe and can be transferred to various patients regardless of About their blood type.