Could An Enzyme Help Transform Blood Types Into The Universal O?

New findings published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society show a way to change Type A and Type B blood to O blood, a universal donor. In time, researchers are hopeful that this could ease some of the shortages in blood banks.

For the study, they created an enzyme that can "snip" off sugars (antigens) in Type A and Type B Blood, according to the University of British Columbia, which can help make it available to any patient.

"We produced a mutant enzyme that is very efficient at cutting off the sugars in A and B blood, and is much more proficient at removing the subtypes of the A-antigen that the parent enzyme struggles with," said David Kwan, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry.

Researchers created the enzyme with the help of a new technology referred to as directed evolution, which inserts mutations into gene codes for the enzyme via selected mutants that hold the ability to cut out antigens. However, to be applicable, the enzyme's ability to remove the majority of antigens in Type A and Type B blood involves steps towards achievement.

"The concept is not new but until now we needed so much of the enzyme to make it work that it was impractical," added Steve Withers, a professor in the Department of Chemistry. "Now I'm confident that we can take this a whole lot further."