Biologists have discovered a mechanism that allows tardigrades to survive severe dehydration. An article about this was published in PLoS Biology, briefly retells Press office of the University of Tokyo.
Tardigrades are known for their unique survival traits. These creatures, with body sizes of up to 1.5 millimeters, can survive for hours in liquid helium, boiling water, the core of a nuclear reactor, kilometers deep, in vacuum, and even in space. In extreme conditions, tardigrades fall into a special state, suspended animation, which can last for a very long time.
University of Tokyo
Takekazu Kunieda of the University of Tokyo set out to find out what made them recover from dehydration. “While water is essential for all life as we know it, some tardigrades can live without water for decades. The trick is how their cells cope with this stress,” the scientists say. This gel stiffens and forms thread-like structures that support and protect cells against mechanical stresses that would otherwise kill them.This process is reversible, so as tardigrade cells are rehydrated, the gel is removed at a rate that does not cause undue stress to the cell.Interestingly, the proteins exhibited the same properties even when isolated from tardigrade cells, this was found by observing the stained proteins under a microscope.
With this knowledge, Kunieda and his team hope that researchers can find ways to improve the dry preservation of cellular materials and biomolecules. This could extend the shelf life of materials used for research, drugs with short shelf lives, and perhaps even any organs needed for transplantation.
Source: Gazeta
Christina Moncayo is a contributing writer for “Social Bites”. Her focus is on the gaming industry and she provides in-depth coverage of the latest news and trends in the world of gaming.