Chapter 806

“…… Yesterday, the United Nations held an interim meeting in New York to determine the emergency plan to deal with the global crisis of Mars bacteria invasion. A team of multinational researchers will be stationed at the Moon Palace space station within a week to study the strain together. "

"At the same time, according to the research decision of the international health organization, the bacteria was officially named as x-0172 bacteria."

"China news, report for you."

The story of Mars bacteria is over, and the news on TV continues.

Sitting at the table quietly enjoying breakfast, Lu Zhou took a look at the calendar on his mobile phone and said to himself.

"There are eighty-seven days left."

Time is pressing

Taking up the remote control and turning off the TV, Lu Zhou took out a paper towel and wiped his mouth. Then he pushed the chair away and stood up from the dining table.

"Little AI, I'll trouble you with the dishes."

A four rotor UAV with a small TV is coming unsteadily from the kitchen.

[good master, give it to me! After throwing the work of cleaning dishes and tables to Xiao AI, Lu Zhou took a coat from the door and put it on his body, then called Wang Peng.

Soon a black red flag stopped outside the villa and sent him to the Jinling Institute of higher learning from his home.

In fact, strictly speaking, the research in the field of biology is not the strength of Jinling Institute of higher learning.

In particular, astrobiology, a cold branch of astrobiology, can not find a single person to study this field, not to mention the top five national comprehensive universities in China.

However, sometimes when it comes to frontier research, it doesn't have to be done by a professional counterpart. After all, the more cutting-edge things, even professional counterparts, but also at best a little more experienced, everyone's starting line is actually similar.

At present, Professor Liu Zuobing, who is in charge of the project of "frozen dormancy", is the only one in the field of Microbiology in the Institute of higher learning.

Although his main research direction is cryobiology, he has more say in x-0172 bacteria in a sense because he often studies cell samples collected in extreme environment.

After all, x-0172 bacteria are also collected from extreme environments

After getting off the bus, the boat went straight to the building of the Institute of biology.

When he arrived at the laboratory, Professor Liu Zuobing and several of his students were busy observing and recording in front of the electron microscope.

Did not disturb their research, quietly waiting for them to finish their work, Lu Zhou just stepped forward and looked at Professor Liu and asked.

"Has the sample been delivered?"

"It has been delivered," said Professor Liu Zuobing with a smile, pointing to the slide specimen on the microscope. "I bet it's probably the most expensive shit in the world."

The boat also joked.

“…… Probably the most dangerous in the world. "

Professor Liu Zuobing smiled and waved his hand: "don't worry. The specimens sent to the earth have been inactivated at the highest level. As long as they are operated in strict accordance with the provisions of the safety manual, there will be basically no problem."

Although a little sensitive to the word "basic", Lu Zhou still believes that Professor Liu's level should not lead to such low-level mistakes.

After a pause, Lu Zhou asked his most concerned questions.

"Has the research progressed?"

"There's a little progress," Liu said, pushing his glasses down. "According to the latest research results published by Professor Leslie and Professor Zhao Shuxuan, at present, we can confirm that the drowsiness symptoms of the Ares plan colonists should be caused by the amino acid derivatives secreted by the x-0172 fine bacteria during the formation of spores."

"Amino acid derivatives?" Lu Zhou frowned and continued to ask, "is the problem serious?"

"Serious to not very serious, this kind of amino acid derivative is very interesting, not only it will not hurt the host, but even It's good for the host. "

Lu Zhou: " Good? Can you elaborate with me? "

"Active dormancy," Professor Liu explained in an inferential tone, suddenly throwing out a word that was unexpected for a land boat. "Suppose there was an atmosphere, a magnetic field, or even a rich ecosystem on Mars. When Mars became less livable due to severe geological changes or other external factors, the bacteria produced buds Pheromones released during sporulation may help the host survive the period of scarcity, just like hibernation

To help the host survive the extremely bad climate, on the surface, is to help the host survive, in fact, is also the self-help of the bacteria. Therefore, the relationship between the bacteria and the host is more like a mutually beneficial symbiosis than a parasitic relationship.

Speaking of this, Professor Liu Zuobing paused for a few seconds, looked at the thoughtful boat, and continued."At present, we have not found that the bacteria will have other effects on the health of the host except for the drowsiness symptoms. We have reason to believe that secretory pheromone is an active defense mechanism of the bacteria, which helps the host to take the initiative to sleep by reducing metabolism and active dormancy. In this kind of dormancy state, the host's tolerance to extreme environment will be greatly improved, and at the same time, it only needs a little energy consumption to ensure the minimum life characteristics. "

"But what about the mechanism of pheromone release?" the boat asked after a moment's deliberation

"The problem is that we haven't fully understood its formation mechanism yet," sighed Professor Liu Zuobing. "At present, there are two kinds of conjectures. One is that when the host has an immune response to the foreign bacteria, under the attack of autoantibodies, it forces the bacteria to produce spores on its own protection, and at the same time, the active dormancy pheromone is forced to release."

"As for one possibility, under the stimulation of some external physical conditions, the bacteria can judge that the host is in an extremely bad environment, and actively release spores and dormancy pheromones to protect the host."

Although drowsiness is not a fatal symptom, it is also a headache for a normal person if he sleeps all day long.

At present, one of the three colonists has found a similar situation, that is to say, the probability is at least one third.

If one third of the people on the earth double their sleep time every day, it's hard to say what kind of impact it will have on modern society.

The boat pondered for a moment and asked, "which possibility do you prefer?"

Professor Liu Zuobing: "I prefer the first."

"In other words, the colonist who had clinical symptoms of drowsiness may have antibodies to the x-0172 bacteria?" Lu said

Professor Liu Zuobing nodded cautiously.

"It's hard to say, but I think it should be like this!"