Why Some Frogs Survive a Deadly Fungus: Scientists Discover Key

Topic: Biology

Scientists from University College London and Imperial College London found that some frogs can survive a deadly fungus because their immune system develops early. They studied common midwife toads in France and Spain and discovered that the timing of immune development is crucial for survival.

A team of scientists from University College London (UCL), ZSL, and Imperial College London has made an important discovery about why some frog populations survive a deadly fungus. The fungus, called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been wiping out frogs and toads around the world. The researchers studied common midwife toads living in four lakes in the Pyrenees of France and Spain that had all experienced severe Bd outbreaks.

They found that some populations had rebounded even though the fungus remained present in the environment. To understand why, they focused on antimicrobial peptides, which are natural chemicals released from amphibian skin that help fight off infections. They discovered that toads from the recovering populations developed these protective peptides much earlier, while they were still tadpoles.

This early development of immune defenses made a big difference in whether the toads survived or not. The researchers used mass spectrometry to examine the mixture of peptides released from the skin of the toads and found that many more types of immune peptides existed than previously thought. In fact, they discovered over 1,100 new peptides, most of which had never been documented before.

The study shows that even if a frog population has been severely affected by the fungus, it can still recover if its immune system develops early enough.

Why It Matters

This discovery is important for India because many frog species are found in our country. Understanding how some frogs survive deadly diseases can help us protect these species and preserve biodiversity.

Key Facts

• The fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been wiping out frogs and toads around the world.
• Scientists from University College London, ZSL, and Imperial College London studied common midwife toads in France and Spain.
• Toads that developed antimicrobial peptides early on were more likely to survive the fungus.
• Over 1,100 new immune peptides were discovered in the study.
• The discovery can help us understand how to protect frog populations from deadly diseases.

Key Terms

Antimicrobial peptides

Natural chemicals released from amphibian skin that help fight off infections.

Implications

This discovery is important for India because many frog species are found in our country. Understanding how some frogs survive deadly diseases can help us protect these species and preserve biodiversity.