Scientists have discovered a powerful antibiotic in the blood stream of giant pandas that can destroy bacteria The Chinese researchers discovered the【C1】______known as cathelicidin-AM, after【C2】______the pandas DNA. Its thought that the antibiotic is【C3】______by the bears immune system in order to protect them from infections. The scientists found that cathelicidin-AM killed bacteria in less than an hour【C4】______other antibiotics took more than six hours. They now want to develop the substance as a new drug to fight superbugs. The【C5】______bears, of which there are just 1,600 in the wild, have become a symbol for conservation—and now there could be a new reason to try and protect them.【C6】______, scientists will not need to rely on the animals unreliable breeding ability to【C7】______the new antibiotic, as they have been able to make it artificially in the lab by decoding the genes to produce a small molecule known as a peptide. Dr Xiuwen Yan, who led the research at the Life Sciences College of Nanjing Agricultural University in China told the Daily Telegraph: 'It showed potential antimicrobial activities against wide【C8】______of microorganisms including bacteria, both standard and drug-resistant【C9】______. Under the pressure of increasing microorganisms【C10】______drug resistance against conventional antibiotics, there is【C11】______need to develop new type of antimicrobial agents. Gene-encoded antibiotics play an important role in immune system against【C12】______microorganisms. They cause much less drug resistance than conventional antibiotics.' Panda populations have decreased【C13】______the destruction of their natural habitat and bamboo food【C14】______in China and south east Asia.【C15】______to increase their numbers, including efforts at Edinburgh Zoo with resident pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang, have been【C16】______for the extreme difficulty in getting them to breed in captivity.【C17】______in the wild, pandas【C18】______to breed easily, as the females only come into season once a year. It has been【C19】______that the millions of pounds spent in using expensive artificial breeding techniques could be put to better use on other conservation projects. And this new discovery is likely to【C20】______the case to save the endangered creatures. 【C1】