DERGAON, Aug 25 - A group of teachers of DKD College at Dergaon, claimed to have discovered a rare species of bacteria in their research. The bacteria named DKDC1 was discovered while analysing the toxin compound found in Tetrodon cutcutia i.e., Gangatoop fish.
According to Jugal Nath, associate professor of Zoology Department of the college as well as one of the researchers of the project, the study on �Extraction of tetrodotoxin from Tetrodon cutcutia and its use as pesticides� was carried out with the financial assistance from the UGC since April, 2013.
The study was carried out under Dr TG Devina, the principal investigator, along with Jugal Nath and Tikendrajit Gogoi. They revealed that the toxin found in the fish is Saxitoxin and it is harmful to human beings and if consumed leads to death after paralysis, diarrheoa etc. The researchers urged all not to consume Gangatoop fish.
A Biotech Hub was started with the financial assistance from the Central Government in September, 2013 where later, the team of researchers Jugal Nath, Dr TG Devina and Samujjal Dutta found that a set of bacteria form the Saxitoxin in the fish. After finding the bacteria, the genes of one such bacteria were sent to the National Centre for Biotechnological Information (NCBI), USA, with the name DKDC1 for registration. The NCBI has accepted the name DKDC1 and registered the newly discovered bacteria as DKDC1 and informed the matter to the researchers.
