The worm that froze in the pond came back to life permafrost Siberia for at least 46,000 years. Tiny animals known as nematodes were ‘resurrected’ after a long dormancy that began at the end of the Pleistocene between 45,839 and 47,769 years ago, radiocarbon analysis shows.
But also these microscopic beings It turned out to belong to a hitherto unknown species it is called for science Panagrolaimus kolymaensis.
Nematodes, also called roundworms, are one of the few organisms. It has the ability to survive in such harsh environments for a long time. To do this, they enter a limbo-like state called cryptobiosis, in which all of the animal’s metabolic processes stop until environmental conditions improve. In 2018, nematodes were resurrected after remaining in a state of cryptobiosis for more than 40,000 years.
Other organisms that have accomplished such a feat are tardigrades and rotifers. And in a particularly surprising example of this phenomenon, a bacterial spore was previously found in amber preserved for 25 to 40 million years.
In the new study published Plos Geneticsscientists explain this they got better P.kolymaensis 40 meters deep in permafrost (permafrost) along the Kolyma River in northeastern Siberia. It turns out that the frozen wastes of this region are home to a host of ancient and unexpected treasures, from archaic DNA and viruses to an entire bear.
Radiocarbon analysis of plant material found in permafrost samples placed them at the end of the Pleistocene, and genomic analysis of the nematodes found identified them as an unidentified species.
Researchers They bred worms for more than 100 generations and compared its genome to that of one of its existing relatives, Caenorhabditis elegansIdentification of common genes involved in cryptobiosis.
Experts hope this research will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms that allow them to remain in this mysterious state. It may reveal new methods for long-term storage of cells and tissues. They are also trying to find out whether there is a maximum time limit for which nematodes can remain in a cryptobiotic state.
“These findings have implications for our understanding of evolutionary processes, as generation times can extend from days to millennia and the long-term survival of individuals of species.” It could lead to saving species that would otherwise become extinct“Conclude authors.
Reference work: https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010798
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Contact address of the environmental department:krisclimatica@prensaiberica.es
Source: Informacion
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