Gut Bacteria May Transform Blood

In 2018, Canadian researchers at the University of British Columbia discovered enzymes from human gut bacteria that could strip the A and B markers from red blood cells. Those markers determine whether blood is type A, B, AB, or O, so removing them could make non-O blood behave more like universal donor type O. It opened a possible path toward making more donated blood usable in emergencies, where compatible blood can be hard to find quickly.

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