Around the world there have been discoveries of Rats with genetic mutations allowing them to have an immunity to rat poison. Eighteen new genetic changes have been found in rats from four different continents. The main rat poison that rats were claimed to have immunity from was Warfarin, but rats were also found to have immunity from other types of rat poison, because they work in the same way. Wararin and other rat poisons such as brodifacoum, are an anticoagulant, this means that they stop the blood from clotting. Rodents poisoned with anticoagulants die from internal bleeding, the result of loss of the bloods clotting ability and damage to the capillaries.
Wafarin and related toxins are extracted from the plant toxin Coumarin. Coumarin is found in many plants such as the tonka bean, vanilla grass, woodruff, and sweet grass, and is used in perfume, and more notably has medicinal value. They prevent blood coagulation by repressing the enzyme vitamin-K reductase (VKOR). Scientist carried out a study of VKORC1, the gene responsible for a key component of the VKOR multiprotein complex. ". Vitamin K epoxide reductase complex, subunit 1, also known as VKORC1, is a gene. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting but must be enzymatically activated. This enzymatically activated form of vitamin K is a reduced form required for the carboxylation of glutamic acid residues in some blood-clotting proteins. 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".
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.
Article found online at:
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/02/06/mutant.rats.resist.warfarin
References:
http://www.qml.com.au/Files/Warfarin_030.pdf
http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/Avian/pfs23.htm
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/02/17/mutant.rats.offer.clues.medical.mystery
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