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Sadowska-Bartosz I, Bartosz G. Antioxidant Defense in the Toughest Animals on the Earth: Its Contribution to the Extreme Resistance of Tardigrades. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8393. [PMID: 39125965 PMCID: PMC11313143 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades are unique among animals in their resistance to dehydration, mainly due to anhydrobiosis and tun formation. They are also very resistant to high-energy radiation, low and high temperatures, low and high pressure, and various chemical agents, Interestingly, they are resistant to ionizing radiation both in the hydrated and dehydrated states to a similar extent. They are able to survive in the cosmic space. Apparently, many mechanisms contribute to the resistance of tardigrades to harmful factors, including the presence of trehalose (though not common to all tardigrades), heat shock proteins, late embryogenesis-abundant proteins, tardigrade-unique proteins, DNA repair proteins, proteins directly protecting DNA (Dsup and TDR1), and efficient antioxidant system. Antioxidant enzymes and small-molecular-weight antioxidants are an important element in the tardigrade resistance. The levels and activities of many antioxidant proteins is elevated by anhydrobiosis and UV radiation; one explanation for their induction during dehydration is provided by the theory of "preparation for oxidative stress", which occurs during rehydration. Genes coding for some antioxidant proteins are expanded in tardigrades; some genes (especially those coding for catalases) were hypothesized to be of bacterial origin, acquired by horizontal gene transfer. An interesting antioxidant protein found in tardigrades is the new Mn-dependent peroxidase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Sadowska-Bartosz
- Laboratory of Analytical Biochemistry, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, 4 Zelwerowicza Street, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland;
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2
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Galas S, Le Goff E, Cazevieille C, Tanaka A, Cuq P, Baghdiguian S, Kunieda T, Godefroy N, Richaud M. A comparative ultrastructure study of the tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus in the hydrated state, after desiccation and during the process of rehydration. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302552. [PMID: 38843161 PMCID: PMC11156355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades can survive hostile environments such as desiccation by adopting a state of anhydrobiosis. Numerous tardigrade species have been described thus far, and recent genome and transcriptome analyses revealed that several distinct strategies were employed to cope with harsh environments depending on the evolutionary lineages. Detailed analyses at the cellular and subcellular levels are essential to complete these data. In this work, we analyzed a tardigrade species that can withstand rapid dehydration, Ramazzottius varieornatus. Surprisingly, we noted an absence of the anhydrobiotic-specific extracellular structure previously described for the Hypsibius exemplaris species. Both Ramazzottius varieornatus and Hypsibius exemplaris belong to the same evolutionary class of Eutardigrada. Nevertheless, our observations reveal discrepancies in the anhydrobiotic structures correlated with the variation in the anhydrobiotic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Galas
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Emilie Le Goff
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Akihiro Tanaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Pierre Cuq
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Takekazu Kunieda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nelly Godefroy
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Myriam Richaud
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
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3
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Pierce S. Life's Mechanism. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1750. [PMID: 37629607 PMCID: PMC10455287 DOI: 10.3390/life13081750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The multifarious internal workings of organisms are difficult to reconcile with a single feature defining a state of 'being alive'. Indeed, definitions of life rely on emergent properties (growth, capacity to evolve, agency) only symptomatic of intrinsic functioning. Empirical studies demonstrate that biomolecules including ratcheting or rotating enzymes and ribozymes undergo repetitive conformation state changes driven either directly or indirectly by thermodynamic gradients. They exhibit disparate structures, but govern processes relying on directional physical motion (DNA transcription, translation, cytoskeleton transport) and share the principle of repetitive uniplanar conformation changes driven by thermodynamic gradients, producing dependable unidirectional motion: 'heat engines' exploiting thermodynamic disequilibria to perform work. Recognition that disparate biological molecules demonstrate conformation state changes involving directional motion, working in self-regulating networks, allows a mechanistic definition: life is a self-regulating process whereby matter undergoes cyclic, uniplanar conformation state changes that convert thermodynamic disequilibria into directed motion, performing work that locally reduces entropy. 'Living things' are structures including an autonomous network of units exploiting thermodynamic gradients to drive uniplanar conformation state changes that perform work. These principles are independent of any specific chemical environment, and can be applied to other biospheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Pierce
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (DiSAA), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy
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4
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Shatilovich A, Gade VR, Pippel M, Hoffmeyer TT, Tchesunov AV, Stevens L, Winkler S, Hughes GM, Traikov S, Hiller M, Rivkina E, Schiffer PH, Myers EW, Kurzchalia TV. A novel nematode species from the Siberian permafrost shares adaptive mechanisms for cryptobiotic survival with C. elegans dauer larva. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010798. [PMID: 37498820 PMCID: PMC10374039 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Some organisms in nature have developed the ability to enter a state of suspended metabolism called cryptobiosis when environmental conditions are unfavorable. This state-transition requires execution of a combination of genetic and biochemical pathways that enable the organism to survive for prolonged periods. Recently, nematode individuals have been reanimated from Siberian permafrost after remaining in cryptobiosis. Preliminary analysis indicates that these nematodes belong to the genera Panagrolaimus and Plectus. Here, we present precise radiocarbon dating indicating that the Panagrolaimus individuals have remained in cryptobiosis since the late Pleistocene (~46,000 years). Phylogenetic inference based on our genome assembly and a detailed morphological analysis demonstrate that they belong to an undescribed species, which we named Panagrolaimus kolymaensis. Comparative genome analysis revealed that the molecular toolkit for cryptobiosis in P. kolymaensis and in C. elegans is partly orthologous. We show that biochemical mechanisms employed by these two species to survive desiccation and freezing under laboratory conditions are similar. Our experimental evidence also reveals that C. elegans dauer larvae can remain viable for longer periods in suspended animation than previously reported. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that nematodes evolved mechanisms potentially allowing them to suspend life over geological time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Shatilovich
- Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science RAS, Pushchino, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vamshidhar R. Gade
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Alexei V. Tchesunov
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Lewis Stevens
- Tree of Life, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sylke Winkler
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- DRESDEN concept Genome Center, Dresden, Germany
| | - Graham M. Hughes
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sofia Traikov
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Hiller
- Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberg Society for Nature Research & Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Elizaveta Rivkina
- Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science RAS, Pushchino, Russia
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5
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Strugnell JM, McGregor HV, Wilson NG, Meredith KT, Chown SL, Lau SCY, Robinson SA, Saunders KM. Emerging biological archives can reveal ecological and climatic change in Antarctica. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:6483-6508. [PMID: 35900301 PMCID: PMC9826052 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is causing observable changes in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean including increased air and ocean temperatures, glacial melt leading to sea-level rise and a reduction in salinity, and changes to freshwater water availability on land. These changes impact local Antarctic ecosystems and the Earth's climate system. The Antarctic has experienced significant past environmental change, including cycles of glaciation over the Quaternary Period (the past ~2.6 million years). Understanding Antarctica's paleoecosystems, and the corresponding paleoenvironments and climates that have shaped them, provides insight into present day ecosystem change, and importantly, helps constrain model projections of future change. Biological archives such as extant moss beds and peat profiles, biological proxies in lake and marine sediments, vertebrate animal colonies, and extant terrestrial and benthic marine invertebrates, complement other Antarctic paleoclimate archives by recording the nature and rate of past ecological change, the paleoenvironmental drivers of that change, and constrain current ecosystem and climate models. These archives provide invaluable information about terrestrial ice-free areas, a key location for Antarctic biodiversity, and the continental margin which is important for understanding ice sheet dynamics. Recent significant advances in analytical techniques (e.g., genomics, biogeochemical analyses) have led to new applications and greater power in elucidating the environmental records contained within biological archives. Paleoecological and paleoclimate discoveries derived from biological archives, and integration with existing data from other paleoclimate data sources, will significantly expand our understanding of past, present, and future ecological change, alongside climate change, in a unique, globally significant region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan M. Strugnell
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture and College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental FutureJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Helen V. McGregor
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Nerida G. Wilson
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental FutureWestern Australian MuseumWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Research and CollectionsWestern Australian MuseumWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Karina T. Meredith
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental FutureAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology OrganisationLucas HeightsNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Steven L. Chown
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Sally C. Y. Lau
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture and College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental FutureJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Sharon A. Robinson
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Krystyna M. Saunders
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental FutureAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology OrganisationLucas HeightsNew South WalesAustralia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
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6
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Brieño-Enriquez MA, Duncan FE, Ghazi A, Klutstein M, Sebastiano V, Tyler J. Editorial: Germ cell development and reproductive aging. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1051539. [PMID: 36313559 PMCID: PMC9597615 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1051539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Angel Brieño-Enriquez
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Miguel Angel Brieño-Enriquez, ,
| | - Francesca E. Duncan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Arjumand Ghazi
- Departments of Pediatrics, Developmental Biology and Cell Biology, and Physiology, John G. Rangos Sr. Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Michael Klutstein
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, Institute of Biomedical and Oral Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Vittorio Sebastiano
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Jessica Tyler
- Department of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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7
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Lee JR, Waterman MJ, Shaw JD, Bergstrom DM, Lynch HJ, Wall DH, Robinson SA. Islands in the ice: Potential impacts of habitat transformation on Antarctic biodiversity. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5865-5880. [PMID: 35795907 PMCID: PMC9542894 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Antarctic biodiversity faces an unknown future with a changing climate. Most terrestrial biota is restricted to limited patches of ice-free land in a sea of ice, where they are adapted to the continent's extreme cold and wind and exploit microhabitats of suitable conditions. As temperatures rise, ice-free areas are predicted to expand, more rapidly in some areas than others. There is high uncertainty as to how species' distributions, physiology, abundance, and survivorship will be affected as their habitats transform. Here we use current knowledge to propose hypotheses that ice-free area expansion (i) will increase habitat availability, though the quality of habitat will vary; (ii) will increase structural connectivity, although not necessarily increase opportunities for species establishment; (iii) combined with milder climates will increase likelihood of non-native species establishment, but may also lengthen activity windows for all species; and (iv) will benefit some species and not others, possibly resulting in increased homogeneity of biodiversity. We anticipate considerable spatial, temporal, and taxonomic variation in species responses, and a heightened need for interdisciplinary research to understand the factors associated with ecosystem resilience under future scenarios. Such research will help identify at-risk species or vulnerable localities and is crucial for informing environmental management and policymaking into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine R. Lee
- British Antarctic SurveyNERCCambridgeUK
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biology and Environmental ScienceQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLDAustralia
| | - Melinda J. Waterman
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Justine D. Shaw
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biology and Environmental ScienceQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLDAustralia
| | - Dana M. Bergstrom
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of AgricultureWater and the EnvironmentKingstonTASAustralia
- Global Challenges ProgramUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Heather J. Lynch
- Department of Ecology and EvolutionStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
| | - Diana H. Wall
- Department of Biology and School of Global Environmental SustainabilityColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Sharon A. Robinson
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
- Global Challenges ProgramUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
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8
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Sieger J, Brümmer F, Ahn H, Lee G, Kim S, Schill RO. Reduced ageing in the frozen state in the tardigrade
Milnesium inceptum
(Eutardigrada: Apochela). J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.13018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Sieger
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart Stuttgart Germany
| | - F. Brümmer
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart Stuttgart Germany
| | - H. Ahn
- Department of Life Sciences Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
| | - G. Lee
- Department of Life Sciences Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
| | - S. Kim
- Department of Life Sciences Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang South Korea
| | - R. O. Schill
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart Stuttgart Germany
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9
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Møbjerg A, Kodama M, Ramos-Madrigal J, Neves RC, Jørgensen A, Schiøtt M, Gilbert MTP, Møbjerg N. Extreme freeze-tolerance in cryophilic tardigrades relies on controlled ice formation but does not involve significant change in transcription. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 271:111245. [PMID: 35640792 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Subzero temperatures are among the most significant factors defining the distribution of organisms, yet, certain taxa have evolved to overcome this barrier. The microscopic tardigrades are among the most freeze-tolerant animals, with selected species reported to survive milli-Kelvin temperatures. Here, we estimate survival of fully hydrated eutardigrades of the species Ramazzottius varieornatus following exposures to -20 °C and -80 °C as well as -196 °C with or without initial cooling to -80 °C. The tardigrades easily survive these temperatures, yet with a significant decrease in viability following rapid cooling by direct exposure to -196 °C. Hence, post-freeze recovery of R. varieornatus seems to rely on cooling rate and thus controlled ice formation. Cryophilic organisms are renowned for having cold-active enzymes that secure appropriate reaction rates at low temperatures. Hence, extreme freeze-tolerance in R. varieornatus could potentially involve syntheses of cryoprotectants and de novo transcription. We therefore generated a reference transcriptome for this cryophilic R. varieornatus population and explored for differential gene expression patterns following cooling to -80 °C as compared to active 5 °C controls. Specifically, we tested for fast transcription potentially occurring within 25 min of cooling from room temperature to a supercooling point of ca. -20 °C, at which the tardigrades presumably freeze and enter into the ametabolic state of cryobiosis. Our analyses revealed no evidence for differential gene expression. We, therefore, conclude that extreme freeze-tolerance in R. varieornatus relies on controlled extracellular freezing with any freeze-tolerance related genes being constitutively expressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ask Møbjerg
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, The Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. https://twitter.com/askmobjerg
| | - Miyako Kodama
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, The Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jazmín Ramos-Madrigal
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, The Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Aslak Jørgensen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Schiøtt
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - M Thomas P Gilbert
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, The Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; University Museum, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Nadja Møbjerg
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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10
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Abstract
Tardigrades are ubiquitous meiofauna that are especially renowned for their exceptional extremotolerance to various adverse environments, including pressure, temperature, and even ionizing radiation. This is achieved through a reversible halt of metabolism triggered by desiccation, a phenomenon called anhydrobiosis. Recent establishment of genome resources for two tardigrades, Hypsibius exemplaris and Ramazzottius varieornatus, accelerated research to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind anhydrobiosis, leading to the discovery of many tardigrade-unique proteins. This review focuses on the history, methods, discoveries, and current state and challenges regarding tardigrade genomics, with an emphasis on molecular anhydrobiology. Remaining questions and future perspectives regarding prospective approaches to fully elucidate the molecular machinery of this complex phenomenon are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuharu Arakawa
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Daishouji, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan; .,Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.,Graduate School of Media and Governance, Systems Biology Program, Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.,Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institute of Natural Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
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11
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Lantin S, Mendell S, Akkad G, Cohen AN, Apicella X, McCoy E, Beltran-Pardo E, Waltemathe M, Srinivasan P, Joshi PM, Rothman JH, Lubin P. Interstellar space biology via Project Starlight. ACTA ASTRONAUTICA 2022; 190:261-272. [PMID: 36710946 PMCID: PMC9881496 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Our ability to explore the cosmos by direct contact has been limited to a small number of lunar and interplanetary missions. However, the NASA Starlight program points a path forward to send small, relativistic spacecraft far outside our solar system via standoff directed-energy propulsion. These miniaturized spacecraft are capable of robotic exploration but can also transport seeds and organisms, marking a profound change in our ability to both characterize and expand the reach of known life. Here we explore the biological and technological challenges of interstellar space biology, focusing on radiation-tolerant microorganisms capable of cryptobiosis. Additionally, we discuss planetary protection concerns and other ethical considerations of sending life to the stars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Lantin
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611, FL, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | - Sophie Mendell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
- College of Creative Studies, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | - Ghassan Akkad
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | - Alexander N. Cohen
- Department of Physics, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | - Xander Apicella
- Department of Physics, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | - Emma McCoy
- Department of Physics, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Prasanna Srinivasan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
- Center for BioEngineering, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | - Pradeep M. Joshi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | - Joel H. Rothman
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
| | - Philip Lubin
- Department of Physics, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106, CA, USA
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12
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New insights into survival strategies of tardigrades. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 254:110890. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.110890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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13
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Zawierucha K, Buda J, Jaromerska TN, Janko K, Gąsiorek P. Integrative approach reveals new species of water bears (Pilatobius, Grevenius, and Acutuncus) from Arctic cryoconite holes, with the discovery of hidden lineages of Hypsibius. ZOOL ANZ 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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14
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Hibshman JD, Clegg JS, Goldstein B. Mechanisms of Desiccation Tolerance: Themes and Variations in Brine Shrimp, Roundworms, and Tardigrades. Front Physiol 2020; 11:592016. [PMID: 33192606 PMCID: PMC7649794 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.592016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Water is critical for the survival of most cells and organisms. Remarkably, a small number of multicellular animals are able to survive nearly complete drying. The phenomenon of anhydrobiosis, or life without water, has been of interest to researchers for over 300 years. In this review we discuss advances in our understanding of protectants and mechanisms of desiccation tolerance that have emerged from research in three anhydrobiotic invertebrates: brine shrimp (Artemia), roundworms (nematodes), and tardigrades (water bears). Discovery of molecular protectants that allow each of these three animals to survive drying diversifies our understanding of desiccation tolerance, and convergent themes suggest mechanisms that may offer a general model for engineering desiccation tolerance in other contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Hibshman
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - James S. Clegg
- Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Bob Goldstein
- Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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15
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Roszkowska M, Kmita H, Kaczmarek Ł. Long-term anhydrobiosis in two taxa of moss dwelling Eutardigrada (Tardigrada) desiccated for 12 and 15 years, respectively. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1829110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M. Roszkowska
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- 2Department of Bioenergetics, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - H. Kmita
- 2Department of Bioenergetics, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Ł. Kaczmarek
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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16
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Suma HR, Prakash S, Eswarappa SM. Naturally occurring fluorescence protects the eutardigrade Paramacrobiotus sp. from ultraviolet radiation. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200391. [PMID: 33050831 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Naturally occurring fluorescence has been observed in multiple species ranging from bacteria to birds. In macroscopic animals such as birds, fluorescence provides a visual communication signal. However, the functional significance of this phenomenon is unknown in most cases. Though photoprotection is attributed to fluorescence under ultraviolet (UV) light in some organisms, it lacks direct experimental evidence. Here, we demonstrate naturally occurring fluorescence under UV light in a eutardigrade belonging to the genus Paramacrobiotus. Using a natural variant that lacks fluorescence, we show that the fluorescence confers tolerance to lethal UV radiation. Remarkably, the fluorescent extract from Paramacrobiotus sp. could protect the UV-sensitive tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris and nematode Caenorhabditis elegans from germicidal UV radiation. We propose that Paramacrobiotus sp. possess a protective fluorescent shield that absorbs harmful UV radiation and emits harmless blue light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harikumar R Suma
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012 Karnataka, India
| | - Swathi Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012 Karnataka, India
| | - Sandeep M Eswarappa
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012 Karnataka, India
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17
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Mínguez-Toral M, Cuevas-Zuviría B, Garrido-Arandia M, Pacios LF. A computational structural study on the DNA-protecting role of the tardigrade-unique Dsup protein. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13424. [PMID: 32770133 PMCID: PMC7414916 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70431-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The remarkable ability of tardigrades to withstand a wide range of physical and chemical extremes has attracted a considerable interest in these small invertebrates, with a particular focus on the protective roles of proteins expressed during such conditions. The discovery that a tardigrade-unique protein named Dsup (damage suppressor) protects DNA from damage produced by radiation and radicals, has raised expectations concerning its potential applications in biotechnology and medicine. We present in this paper what might be dubbed a “computational experiment” on the Dsup-DNA system. By means of molecular modelling, calculations of electrostatic potentials and electric fields, and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we obtained a dynamic picture of the Dsup-DNA interaction. Our results suggest that the protein is intrinsically disordered, which enables Dsup to adjust its structure to fit DNA shape. Strong electrostatic attractions and high protein flexibility drive the formation of a molecular aggregate in which Dsup shields DNA. While the precise mechanism of DNA protection conferred by Dsup remains to be elucidated, our study provides some molecular clues of their association that could be of interest for further investigation in this line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Mínguez-Toral
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Campus de Montegancedo-UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain
| | - Bruno Cuevas-Zuviría
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Campus de Montegancedo-UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Garrido-Arandia
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Campus de Montegancedo-UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis F Pacios
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Campus de Montegancedo-UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain. .,Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas (ETSIAAB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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18
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Vizueta J, Escuer P, Frías-López C, Guirao-Rico S, Hering L, Mayer G, Rozas J, Sánchez-Gracia A. Evolutionary History of Major Chemosensory Gene Families across Panarthropoda. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 37:3601-3615. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Chemosensory perception is a fundamental biological process of particular relevance in basic and applied arthropod research. However, apart from insects, there is little knowledge of specific molecules involved in this system, which is restricted to a few taxa with uneven phylogenetic sampling across lineages. From an evolutionary perspective, onychophorans (velvet worms) and tardigrades (water bears) are of special interest since they represent the closest living relatives of arthropods, altogether comprising the Panarthropoda. To get insights into the evolutionary origin and diversification of the chemosensory gene repertoire in panarthropods, we sequenced the antenna- and head-specific transcriptomes of the velvet worm Euperipatoides rowelli and analyzed members of all major chemosensory families in representative genomes of onychophorans, tardigrades, and arthropods. Our results suggest that the NPC2 gene family was the only family encoding soluble proteins in the panarthropod ancestor and that onychophorans might have lost many arthropod-like chemoreceptors, including the highly conserved IR25a receptor of protostomes. On the other hand, the eutardigrade genomes lack genes encoding the DEG-ENaC and CD36-sensory neuron membrane proteins, the chemosensory members of which have been retained in arthropods; these losses might be related to lineage-specific adaptive strategies of tardigrades to survive extreme environmental conditions. Although the results of this study need to be further substantiated by an increased taxon sampling, our findings shed light on the diversification of chemosensory gene families in Panarthropoda and contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of animal chemical senses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Vizueta
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Escuer
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Frías-López
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Lars Hering
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Julio Rozas
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Sánchez-Gracia
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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19
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Canatelli-Mallat M, Lascaray F, Entraigues-Abramson M, Portiansky EL, Blamaceda N, Morel GR, Goya RG. Cryopreservation of a Human Brain and Its Experimental Correlate in Rats. Rejuvenation Res 2020; 23:516-525. [PMID: 32340558 DOI: 10.1089/rej.2019.2245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several countries have established self-help cryonics groups whose mission is to cryopreserve human bodies or brains after legal death and ship them to cryonics organizations. The objective of this study was to report the first case of human brain cryopreservation in Argentina and complementary experiments in rats. After legal death, the body of a 78-year-old Caucasian woman was transported to a funeral home where her head was submitted to intracarotid perfusion with 5 L cold physiologic saline followed by the same volume of cold saline containing 13% dimethyl sulfoxide and 13% glycerol. The brain was removed, temporarily frozen at -80°C, and shipped to a U.S. cryostasis facility. Three groups of rats were intracardially perfused with fixative but not frozen (Reference group), vitrification solution VM1 (Control group), or the cryoprotection solution used in the patient (Experimental group). Control and Experimental brains were stored at -80°C and subsequently assessed by immunohistochemistry for the adult neuron marker (NeuN), the immature neuron marker doublecortin (DCX), the dopaminergic neuron marker tyrosine hydroxylase, and the presynaptic marker synaptophysin (SYN). The number of NeuN-positive neurons remained unchanged in the experimental brain cortex, whereas the number of immature DCX neurons in the hippocampus fell markedly in the cryoprotected brains. The results were highly variable for hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons. Confocal microscopy for SYN revealed that cryopreservation did not affect the synaptic network in the hippocampus. To our knowledge, this is the first report correlating a human cryoprotection procedure with results in complementary experiments in laboratory animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Enrique L Portiansky
- Laboratorio de Análisis de Imágenes (LAI), School of Veterinary Sciences, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Néstor Blamaceda
- INIBIOLP-Histology B, Pathology B, School of Medicine, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Gustavo R Morel
- INIBIOLP-Histology B, Pathology B, School of Medicine, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo G Goya
- INIBIOLP-Histology B, Pathology B, School of Medicine, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
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20
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Kihm JH, Kim S, McInnes SJ, Zawierucha K, Rho HS, Kang P, Park TYS. Integrative description of a new Dactylobiotus (Eutardigrada: Parachela) from Antarctica that reveals an intraspecific variation in tardigrade egg morphology. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9122. [PMID: 32499591 PMCID: PMC7272612 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65573-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades constitute one of the most important group in the challenging Antarctic terrestrial ecosystem. Living in various habitats, tardigrades play major roles as consumers and decomposers in the trophic networks of Antarctic terrestrial and freshwater environments; yet we still know little about their biodiversity. The Eutardigrada is a species rich class, for which the eggshell morphology is one of the key morphological characters. Tardigrade egg morphology shows a diverse appearance, and it is known that, despite rare, intraspecific variation is caused by seasonality, epigenetics, and external environmental conditions. Here we report Dactylobiotus ovimutans sp. nov. from King George Island, Antarctica. Interestingly, we observed a range of eggshell morphologies from the new species, although the population was cultured under controlled laboratory condition. Thus, seasonality, environmental conditions, and food source are eliminated, leaving an epigenetic factor as a main cause for variability in this case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hoon Kihm
- Division of Polar Earth-System Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, 21990, Incheon, Korea
- Polar Science, University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, 34113, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Sanghee Kim
- Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, 21990, Incheon, Korea
| | - Sandra J McInnes
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Krzysztof Zawierucha
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Hyun Soo Rho
- East Sea Environment Research Center, East Sea Research Institute, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, 48 Haeyanggwahak-gil, Uljin, 36315, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea
| | - Pilmo Kang
- Division of Polar Earth-System Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, 21990, Incheon, Korea
| | - Tae-Yoon S Park
- Division of Polar Earth-System Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, 21990, Incheon, Korea.
- Polar Science, University of Science & Technology, 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, 34113, Daejeon, Korea.
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21
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Møbjerg N, Michalczyk Ł, Mcinnes SJ, Christenhusz MJM. Research presented at the 14th International Symposium on Tardigrada: progress in studies on water bears. Zool J Linn Soc 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe 14th International Symposium on Tardigrada took place in Copenhagen, Denmark from 30 July to 3 August 2018. Approximately 140 participants, representing 28 countries from five continents attended the meeting, and there were 58 talks and 74 posters of which 20 were selected for the Symposium Proceedings published in this special issue. The studies span phylogenomics, systematics, anatomy, morphology, reproductive biology, cryobiology, ecology, diet, microbial interactions and biogeography, taking the next step forward in broadening and deepening our understanding of tardigrade biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Møbjerg
- Department of Biology, August Krogh Building, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Łukasz Michalczyk
- Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Sandra J Mcinnes
- British Antarctic Survey, Programme Office, High Cross, Cambridge, UK
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22
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Centner CS, Murphy EM, Priddy MC, Moore JT, Janis BR, Menze MA, DeFilippis AP, Kopechek JA. Ultrasound-induced molecular delivery to erythrocytes using a microfluidic system. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2020; 14:024114. [PMID: 32341725 PMCID: PMC7176461 DOI: 10.1063/1.5144617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Preservation of erythrocytes in a desiccated state for storage at ambient temperature could simplify blood transfusions in austere environments, such as rural clinics, far-forward military operations, and during space travel. Currently, storage of erythrocytes is limited by a short shelf-life of 42 days at 4 °C, and long-term preservation requires a complex process that involves the addition and removal of glycerol from erythrocytes before and after storage at -80 °C, respectively. Natural compounds, such as trehalose, can protect cells in a desiccated state if they are present at sufficient levels inside the cell, but mammalian cell membranes lack transporters for this compound. To facilitate compound loading across the plasma membrane via ultrasound and microbubbles (sonoporation), a polydimethylsiloxane-based microfluidic device was developed. Delivery of fluorescein into erythrocytes was tested at various conditions to assess the effects of parameters such as ultrasound pressure, ultrasound pulse interval, microbubble dose, and flow rate. Changes in ultrasound pressure and mean flow rate caused statistically significant increases in fluorescein delivery of up to 73 ± 37% (p < 0.05) and 44 ± 33% (p < 0.01), respectively, compared to control groups, but no statistically significant differences were detected with changes in ultrasound pulse intervals. Following freeze-drying and rehydration, recovery of viable erythrocytes increased by up to 128 ± 32% after ultrasound-mediated loading of trehalose compared to control groups (p < 0.05). These results suggest that ultrasound-mediated molecular delivery in microfluidic channels may be a viable approach to process erythrocytes for long-term storage in a desiccated state at ambient temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor S. Centner
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Emily M. Murphy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Mariah C. Priddy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - John T. Moore
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Brett R. Janis
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | - Michael A. Menze
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
| | | | - Jonathan A. Kopechek
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA
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23
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Tsujimoto M, Kagoshima H, Kanda H, Watanabe K, Imura S. Reproductive performance of the Antarctic tardigrades, Acutuncus antarcticus (Eutardigrada: Hypsibiidae), revived after being frozen for over 30 years and of their offspring. Zool J Linn Soc 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Studies on the long-term survival of animals often focus on the specific instance of survival of animals only, and descriptions of subsequent reproduction are generally not reported. In this study, we recorded the reproductive performance of the first-generation offspring of the resuscitated individual (SB-1) and the hatchling of the resuscitated egg (SB-3) of the Antarctic tardigrade, Acutuncus antarcticus, after being frozen for 30.5 years. By providing further detailed description of the reproduction of SB-1 and SB-3 after revival, and then comparing the reproductive performance with that of their first-generation offspring, the possible indications of the damage accrued during the long-term preservation in SB-1 and SB-3 were more specifically detected. Additionally, the DNA analysis revealed two distinctively different mitochondrial genetic sequences of A. antarcticus between the SB strains and the LSW strain. The observed differences in some of the reproductive parameters between the two genetic types suggested a possible relationship between the life-history traits and genetic type in the species A. antarcticus. Further experiments using the SB-1 and SB-3 strains reared for a long period to exclude the instant effect of preservation are expected to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the long-term survival of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megumu Tsujimoto
- National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
- Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Hiroshi Kanda
- National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Watanabe
- National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Imura
- National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
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24
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Afzal M, Park J, Destgeer G, Ahmed H, Iqrar SA, Kim S, Kang S, Alazzam A, Yoon TS, Sung HJ. Acoustomicrofluidic separation of tardigrades from raw cultures for sample preparation. Zool J Linn Soc 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Tardigrades are microscopic animals widely known for their ability to survive in extreme conditions. They are the focus of current research in the fields of taxonomy, biogeography, genomics, proteomics, development, space biology, evolution and ecology. Tardigrades, such as Hypsibius exemplaris, are being advocated as a next-generation model organism for genomic and developmental studies. The raw culture of H. exemplaris usually contains tardigrades themselves, their eggs, faeces and algal food. Experimentation with tardigrades often requires the demanding and laborious separation of tardigrades from raw samples to prepare pure and contamination-free tardigrade samples. In this paper, we propose a two-step acoustomicrofluidic separation method to isolate tardigrades from raw samples. In the first step, a passive microfluidic filter composed of an array of traps is used to remove large algal clusters in the raw sample. In the second step, a surface acoustic wave-based active microfluidic separation device is used to deflect tardigrades continuously from their original streamlines inside the microchannel and thus isolate them selectively from algae and eggs. The experimental results demonstrated the efficient separation of tardigrades, with a recovery rate of 96% and an impurity of 4% algae on average in a continuous, contactless, automated, rapid and biocompatible manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Afzal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Jinsoo Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Ghulam Destgeer
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Husnain Ahmed
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Syed Atif Iqrar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Sanghee Kim
- Division of Polar Life Sciences, KOPRI, Incheon 21990, Korea
| | - Sunghyun Kang
- Department of Proteome Structural Biology, KRIBB, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Anas Alazzam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tae-Sung Yoon
- Department of Proteome Structural Biology, KRIBB, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hyung Jin Sung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
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25
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Heatwole H, Miller WR. Structure of micrometazoan assemblages in the Larsemann Hills, Antarctica. Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02557-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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26
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Guidetti R, Massa E, Bertolani R, Rebecchi L, Cesari M. Increasing knowledge of Antarctic biodiversity: new endemic taxa of tardigrades (Eutardigrada; Ramazzottiidae) and their evolutionary relationships. SYST BIODIVERS 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2019.1649737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Guidetti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 213/D, Modena, 41125, Italy
| | - Edoardo Massa
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 213/D, Modena, 41125, Italy
| | - Roberto Bertolani
- Department of Education and Humanities, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Allegri, 9, Reggio Emilia, 42121, Italy
- Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona, Lungadige Porta Vittoria 9, Verona, 37129, Italy
| | - Lorena Rebecchi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 213/D, Modena, 41125, Italy
| | - Michele Cesari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Campi 213/D, Modena, 41125, Italy
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27
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Piszkiewicz S, Gunn KH, Warmuth O, Propst A, Mehta A, Nguyen KH, Kuhlman E, Guseman AJ, Stadmiller SS, Boothby TC, Neher SB, Pielak GJ. Protecting activity of desiccated enzymes. Protein Sci 2019; 28:941-951. [PMID: 30868674 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Protein-based biological drugs and many industrial enzymes are unstable, making them prohibitively expensive. Some can be stabilized by formulation with excipients, but most still require low temperature storage. In search of new, more robust excipients, we turned to the tardigrade, a microscopic animal that synthesizes cytosolic abundant heat soluble (CAHS) proteins to protect its cellular components during desiccation. We find that CAHS proteins protect the test enzymes lactate dehydrogenase and lipoprotein lipase against desiccation-, freezing-, and lyophilization-induced deactivation. Our data also show that a variety of globular and disordered protein controls, with no known link to desiccation tolerance, protect our test enzymes. Protection of lactate dehydrogenase correlates, albeit imperfectly, with the charge density of the protein additive, suggesting an approach to tune protection by modifying charge. Our results support the potential use of CAHS proteins as stabilizing excipients in formulations and suggest that other proteins may have similar potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Piszkiewicz
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Kathryn H Gunn
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Owen Warmuth
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Ashlee Propst
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Aakash Mehta
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Kenny H Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Elizabeth Kuhlman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Alex J Guseman
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Samantha S Stadmiller
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Thomas C Boothby
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Saskia B Neher
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
| | - Gary J Pielak
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599.,Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599
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28
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Ogushi F, Kertész J, Kaski K, Shimada T. Temporal inactivation enhances robustness in an evolving system. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:181471. [PMID: 30891274 PMCID: PMC6408400 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We study the robustness of an evolving system that is driven by successive inclusions of new elements or constituents with m random interactions to older ones. Each constitutive element in the model stays either active or is temporarily inactivated depending upon the influence of the other active elements. If the time spent by an element in the inactivated state reaches T W , it gets extinct. The phase diagram of this dynamic model as a function of m and T W is investigated by numerical and analytical methods and as a result both growing (robust) as well as non-growing (volatile) phases are identified. It is also found that larger time limit T W enhances the system's robustness against the inclusion of new elements, mainly due to the system's increased ability to reject 'falling-together' type attacks. Our results suggest that the ability of an element to survive in an unfavourable situation for a while, either as a minority or in a dormant state, could improve the robustness of the entire system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiko Ogushi
- Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Yoshida Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Center for Materials Research by Information Integration, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan
| | - János Kertész
- Department of Network and Data Science, Central European University, 1051 Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Physics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kimmo Kaski
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University School of Science, PO Box 15500, Espoo, Finland
- The Alan Turing Institute, British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB, UK
| | - Takashi Shimada
- Mathematics and Informatics Center, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
- Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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Jönsson KI, Holm I, Tassidis H. Cell Biology of the Tardigrades: Current Knowledge and Perspectives. Results Probl Cell Differ 2019; 68:231-249. [PMID: 31598859 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23459-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The invertebrate phylum Tardigrada has received much attention for containing species adapted to the most challenging environmental conditions where an ability to survive complete desiccation or freezing in a cryptobiotic state is necessary for persistence. Although research on tardigrades has a long history, the last decade has seen a dramatic increase in molecular biological ("omics") studies, most of them with the aim to reveal the biochemical mechanisms behind desiccation tolerance of tardigrades. Several other aspects of tardigrade cell biology have been studied, and we review some of them, including karyology, embryology, the role of storage cells, and the question of whether tardigrades are eutelic animals. We also review some of the theories about how anhydrobiotic organisms are able to maintain cell integrity under dry conditions, and our current knowledge on the role of vitrification and DNA protection and repair. Many aspects of tardigrade stress tolerance have relevance for human medicine, and the first transfers of tardigrade stress genes to human cells have now appeared. We expect this field to develop rapidly in the coming years, as more genomic information becomes available. However, many basic cell biological aspects remain to be investigated, such as immunology, cell cycle kinetics, cell metabolism, and culturing of tardigrade cells. Such development will be necessary to allow tardigrades to move from a nonmodel organism position to a true model organism with interesting associations with the current models C. elegans and D. melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Ingemar Jönsson
- Department of Environmental Science and Bioscience, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.
| | - Ingvar Holm
- Department of Environmental Science and Bioscience, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Helena Tassidis
- Department of Environmental Science and Bioscience, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
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Abstract
Even though tardigrades have been known since 1772, their phylogenetic position is still controversial. Tardigrades are regarded as either the sister group of arthropods, onychophorans, or onychophorans plus arthropods. Furthermore, the knowledge about their gametogenesis, especially oogenesis, is still poor and needs further analysis. The process of oogenesis has been studied solely for several eutardigradan species. Moreover, the spatial organization of the female germ-line clusters has been described for three species only. Meroistic ovaries characterize all analyzed species. In species of the Parachela, one cell per germ-cell cluster differentiates into the oocyte, while the remaining cells become the trophocytes. In Apochela several cells in the cluster differentiate into oocytes. Vitellogenesis is of a mixed type. The eggs are covered with the egg capsule that is composed of two shells: the thin vitelline envelope that adheres to the oolemma and the thick three-layered chorion. Chorion is formed as a first followed by vitelline envelope. Several features related to the oogenesis and structure of the ovary confirm the hypothesis that tardigrades are the sister group rather for arthropods than for onychophorans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Poprawa
- Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
| | - Kamil Janelt
- Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
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31
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Young AR, Miller JED, Villella J, Carey G, Miller WR. Epiphyte type and sampling height impact mesofauna communities in Douglas-fir trees. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5699. [PMID: 30345168 PMCID: PMC6187993 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Branches and boles of trees in wet forests are often carpeted with lichens and bryophytes capable of providing periodically saturated habitat suitable for microfauna, animals that include tardigrades, rotifers, nematodes, mites, and springtails. Although resident microfauna likely exhibit habitat preferences structured by fine-scale environmental factors, previous studies rarely report associations between microfaunal communities and habitat type (e.g., communities that develop in lichens vs. bryophytes). Microfaunal communities were examined across three types of epiphyte and three sampling heights to capture gradients of microenvironment. Tardigrades, rotifers, and nematodes were significantly more abundant in bryophytes than fruticose lichen or foliose lichen. Eight tardigrade species and four tardigrade taxa were found, representing two classes, three orders, six families, and eight genera. Tardigrade community composition was significantly different between bryophytes, foliose lichen, fruticose lichen, and sampling heights. We show that microenvironmental factors including epiphyte type and sampling height shape microfaunal communities and may mirror the environmental preferences of their epiphyte hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Young
- Department of Forest and Natural Resource Management College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY, United States of America
| | - Jesse E D Miller
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - John Villella
- Siskiyou Biosurvey, Ashland, OR, United States of America
| | - Greg Carey
- Siskiyou Biosurvey, Ashland, OR, United States of America
| | - William R Miller
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Baker University, Baldwin City, KS, United States of America
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32
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Sørensen-Hygum TL, Stuart RM, Jørgensen A, Møbjerg N. Modelling extreme desiccation tolerance in a marine tardigrade. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11495. [PMID: 30065347 PMCID: PMC6068186 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29824-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It has recently been argued that the enigmatic tardigrades (water bears) will endure until the sun dies, surviving any astrophysical calamities in Earth's oceans. Yet, our knowledge of stress tolerance among marine tardigrade species is very limited and most investigations revolve around species living in moist habitats on land. Here, we investigate desiccation tolerance in the cosmopolitan marine tidal tardigrade, Echiniscoides sigismundi, providing the first thorough analysis on recovery upon desiccation from seawater. We test the influence on survival of desiccation surface, time spent desiccated (up to 1 year) and initial water volume. We propose analysis methods for survival estimates, which can be used as a future platform for evaluating and analysing recovery rates in organisms subjected to extreme stress. Our data reveal that marine tidal tardigrades tolerate extremely rapid and extended periods of desiccation from seawater supporting the argument that these animals are among the toughest organisms on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L Sørensen-Hygum
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robyn M Stuart
- Data Science Laboratory, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Aslak Jørgensen
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nadja Møbjerg
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Giovannini I, Altiero T, Guidetti R, Rebecchi L. Will the Antarctic tardigrade Acutuncus antarcticus be able to withstand environmental stresses related to global climate change? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.160622. [PMID: 29242185 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.160622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Because conditions in continental Antarctica are highly selective and extremely hostile to life, its biota is depauperate, but well adapted to live in this region. Global climate change has the potential to impact continental Antarctic organisms because of increasing temperatures and ultraviolet radiation. This research evaluates how ongoing climate changes will affect Antarctic species, and whether Antarctic organisms will be able to adapt to the new environmental conditions. Tardigrades represent one of the main terrestrial components of Antarctic meiofauna; therefore, the pan-Antarctic tardigrade Acutuncus antarcticus was used as model to predict the fate of Antarctic meiofauna threatened by climate change. Acutuncus antarcticus individuals tolerate events of desiccation, increased temperature and UV radiation. Both hydrated and desiccated animals tolerate increases in UV radiation, even though the desiccated animals are more resistant. Nevertheless, the survivorship of hydrated and desiccated animals is negatively affected by the combination of temperature and UV radiation, with the hydrated animals being more tolerant than desiccated animals. Finally, UV radiation has a negative impact on the life history traits of successive generations of A. antarcticus, causing an increase in egg reabsorption and teratological events. In the long run, A. antarcticus could be at risk of population reductions or even extinction. Nevertheless, because the changes in global climate will proceed gradually and an overlapping of temperature and UV increase could be limited in time, A. antarcticus, as well as many other Antarctic organisms, could have the potential to overcome global warming stresses, and/or the time and capability to adapt to the new environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Giovannini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Tiziana Altiero
- Department of Education and Humanities, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Roberto Guidetti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Lorena Rebecchi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
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35
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Abstract
Much attention has been given in the literature to the effects of astrophysical events on human and land-based life. However, little has been discussed on the resilience of life itself. Here we instead explore the statistics of events that completely sterilise an Earth-like planet with planet radii in the range 0.5-1.5R ⊕ and temperatures of ∼300 K, eradicating all forms of life. We consider the relative likelihood of complete global sterilisation events from three astrophysical sources - supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, large asteroid impacts, and passing-by stars. To assess such probabilities we consider what cataclysmic event could lead to the annihilation of not just human life, but also extremophiles, through the boiling of all water in Earth's oceans. Surprisingly we find that although human life is somewhat fragile to nearby events, the resilience of Ecdysozoa such as Milnesium tardigradum renders global sterilisation an unlikely event.
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36
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Hashimoto T, Kunieda T. DNA Protection Protein, a Novel Mechanism of Radiation Tolerance: Lessons from Tardigrades. Life (Basel) 2017; 7:life7020026. [PMID: 28617314 PMCID: PMC5492148 DOI: 10.3390/life7020026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic DNA stores all genetic information and is indispensable for maintenance of normal cellular activity and propagation. Radiation causes severe DNA lesions, including double-strand breaks, and leads to genome instability and even lethality. Regardless of the toxicity of radiation, some organisms exhibit extraordinary tolerance against radiation. These organisms are supposed to possess special mechanisms to mitigate radiation-induced DNA damages. Extensive study using radiotolerant bacteria suggested that effective protection of proteins and enhanced DNA repair system play important roles in tolerability against high-dose radiation. Recent studies using an extremotolerant animal, the tardigrade, provides new evidence that a tardigrade-unique DNA-associating protein, termed Dsup, suppresses the occurrence of DNA breaks by radiation in human-cultured cells. In this review, we provide a brief summary of the current knowledge on extremely radiotolerant animals, and present novel insights from the tardigrade research, which expand our understanding on molecular mechanism of exceptional radio-tolerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Hashimoto
- Laboratory for Radiation Biology, School of Medicine, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
| | - Takekazu Kunieda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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Martin C, Gross V, Hering L, Tepper B, Jahn H, de Sena Oliveira I, Stevenson PA, Mayer G. The nervous and visual systems of onychophorans and tardigrades: learning about arthropod evolution from their closest relatives. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:565-590. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1186-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Abstract
An analysis of Hox genes reveals that the body of the adorably weird tardigrades is essentially a truncated front end. This illustrates that loss and simplification are a hallmark of the evolution of animal body plans.
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39
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Cryopreservation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Combination with Trehalose and Reversible Electroporation. J Membr Biol 2016; 250:1-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s00232-016-9916-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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