Discovery of crocs temperature regulator could lead to major pain relief

14 March 2007

Sydney University researchers have identified how crocodiles and other reptiles detect temperature – shedding new light on their adaptation to environmental changes and pointing to new pain treatments for humans.

Dr Frank Seebacher and Dr Shauna A Murray from Sydney University’s School of Biological Sciences have shown that reptiles possess a family of genes that code for proteins which act as external heat sensors as well as providing an internal thermometer. These proteins, ‘transient receptor potential ion channels’, are closely linked with sensory nerves at the animal’s surface as well as in their liver, heart, and muscles.

In the paper, entitled Transient Receptor Potential Ion Channels Control Thermoregulatory Behaviour in Reptiles, published in the most recent issue of the online journal PLoS ONE, the Sydney team say that information about internal temperatures and environmental conditions is fed back to the brain via these receptors. The brain is then able to direct the behaviour of the animal depending on how warm or cold it is relative to the environment.

‘Until now it was unknown exactly how cold-blooded (ectothermic) animals sensed heat in their environment, which is an important step in our understanding of the biological functions governing an animal’s ability to regulate their body temperature,’ said Dr Seebacher. ‘This capacity to sense environmental and internal temperatures is a prerequisite for the evolution of the kind of thermal regulation we find in warm-bodied (endothermic) animals, such as ourselves.’

‘The functioning of all organisms depends on temperature, and we as humans know very well that when our body temperature deviates by only 3-degrees centigrade from normal we are in serious trouble. Other animals are more tolerant, but must still regulate their body temperature so that their cells and organs can function effectively,’ said Dr Seebacher.

‘Interestingly, similar proteins exist in mammals where among other things they are responsible for “tasting” the heat in chillies. Hence, the detection of environmental heat and “hot” chillies depends on the same mechanism, and both are closely linked to perception of pain,’ said Dr Seebacher. ‘Transient receptor potential ion channels are therefore of enormous interest to medicine because they could be the target for new pain relieving drugs,’ he said.

Full text of journal article

Found at The University of Sidney

Animal activists call for deaths of pesky frogs

By Jennifer Harper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
March 15, 2007

There hasn’t been this much fuss since Frankenfish: 10,000 greedy, ill-mannered frogs are now vexing the city of San Francisco.
    But these are not just any frogs. These are feisty African clawed frogs, as big as a brick and armed with barbs on their hind feet. The croakers mysteriously took up residence in Golden Gate Park’s delicate Lily Pond four years ago and, well, froggy’s been a-courting ever since.
    However, it’s an animal rights activist who insists that the pond be rescued from its frog plague.
    ”We’ve got to drain that pond, euthanize those frogs, the tadpoles, the eggs. These things are dangerous and aggressive. They carry a fungus which kills other frogs,” said Eric Mills of Action for Animals, an Oakland, Calif.-based animal-protection group.
    Maryland fish and game officials emptied a pond in Crofton after nonnative northern snakehead fish — aka Frankenfish — were found lurking there in 2002, inspiring a nationwide dialogue about the threat of invasive species, not to mention a B-grade horror movie.
    ”Can you believe it? Here I am, the animal rights guy, proposing we kill 10,000 frogs. This is a simple problem. It would take two days to fix, and I have 120 volunteers ready,” Mr. Mills said. “It’s got to be done, but the bureaucrats are in the way.”
    San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office declined to comment yesterday, as did the city Commission of Animal Control and Welfare and the Recreation and Park Department.
    Meanwhile, the frogs — deemed “toad warriors” in the local press — have eaten every turtle and fish in the pond and are now eating one another. They are formidable jumpers. Mr. Mills and a coterie of former game wardens and biologists fear the frogs will migrate to other waterways, rubbing out local species and spreading Chytridiomycosis, a fungus-borne infection fatal to amphibians. It already has taken a worrisome toll on the world’s frog population.

Officials consider reptile conservation area

DES MOINES

 Iowa Wildlife officials plan to meet later this month to discuss whether to create a state Amphibian and Reptile Area in southeast Iowa.

The proposed conservation area would include a mixture of private and public lands. It would encompass the lower Cedar and Iowa rivers and the Mississippi River floodplain from Muscatine to Montrose. That’s according to Karen Kinkead, an Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife diversity program biologist. She says the area is unique and contains the highest number of amphibian and reptile species and the most number of rare species in the state. Kinkead says landowners or farmers who want to help with amphibian and reptile conservation will be offered technical guidance and financial assistance as it’s available.The public meeting is scheduled for March 27th at the Louisa County Conservation Board headquarters.

Found on KWWL