An upcoming publication of the Daystrom Institute Journal, the peer-reviewed publication of the Daystrom Research Institute includes an article entitled: Control and Modification of Batrachochytrium spp. The research took place on the U.S.S. William Ockham, but the nanite contributions, programming and oversight were the responsibility of Captain Ashley Vallen of the U.S.S. Shinano.
Abstract
This study aimed to attempt to control or mitigate the fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans--two species of Chytridiomycota responsible for chytridiomycosis, a Terran disease affecting amphibians. Two attempts were made to control outbreaks of B. dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans. At first, a related species of fungus that was non-parasitic was used for safety measures, but as the project progressed, the actual Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans were utilized. Each species of fungus was grown to first maturity, spores collected and then the control measure was introduced. The goal was to simulate introducing the measure into an already affected area. Additionally, the first collected spores were also separated and started in progress, and tandem with the control measure, to study the use as a preventative. The first attempt was a genetically modified Janthinobacterium lividum released into the same environment as the fungi. This Gram-negative, aerobic bacteria is typically known to get onto the skin of certain amphibians and, creating a symbiotic effect, assisting the amphibian in question to fight off the fungus. The J. lividum bacteria originally combated the fungal outbreaks successfully, making inroads into the existing fungus. However, a subsequent fungal bloom overwhelmed the bacteria, showing the fungi’s adaptation to the effects the bacteria alone were having on the fungi. This made it an ineffective solution to controlling or preventing outbreaks of either fungi. The second attempt involved the use of specially modified Borg nanites. Unlike the J. lividum, the nanites self-replicated as the fungi attempted to bloom and were able to combat the sudden increase in the fungal presence. This made them a viable solution, subject to subsequent safety testing and further exploration of ecological impact by future studies.
Excerpts from the paper itself:
“Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans are both species belonging to the Chytridiomycota fungal class. B. dendrobatidis (Bd) was discovered as far back as 1998, even being established as responsible for the extinction of the golden toad in 1989. The infection rates are so severe that to this date, the outcome of constant battle to maintain amphibian populations remains in doubt. Later, in 2013, B. salamandrivorans (Bsal) was described. It specializes in infecting salamanders and newts.”
“The Janthinobacterium lividum was genetically modified for adaptation to other species of amphibians as well as increased indole-3-carboxaldehyde and violacein.”
“Nanites were collected from Captain Ash Vallen and also subsequently modified by her to specialize them for their tasks. While there were a few concerns based on using Borg nanites brought forward, they can be safely handled and used by someone with prior medical experience or by someone specialising in nanotechnology, thus rendering the nanites harmless to anything but its intended target.”
“The Borg nanites were programmed to interfere only with either species of fungus, and additionally programmed with an emergency dissolve system that, in effect, removed the nanites after their task was completed. They were released in a test environment to see if the fungus would develop a resistance to the nanite interference as well.”
“The purpose of the nanites--instead of total death of the fungus, like J. lividum--was to reconstruct the fungi so as to be unable to parasitise the amphibians. This eliminated the possibility of the accidental extinction of either fungal species.”
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Additionally, video documentation of the Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis bloom overcoming the Janthinobacterium lividum bacteria is available upon request:
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