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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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Yoshida Y, Hirayama A, Arakawa K. Transcriptome analysis of the tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris exposed to the DNA-damaging agent bleomycin. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2024; 100:414-428. [PMID: 38839369 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.pjab.100.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Tardigrades are microscopic animals that are renowned for their capabilities of tolerating near-complete desiccation by entering an ametabolic state called anhydrobiosis. However, many species also show high tolerance against radiation in the active state as well, suggesting cross-tolerance via the anhydrobiosis mechanism. Previous studies utilized indirect DNA damaging agents to identify core components of the cross-tolerance machinery in species with high anhydrobiosis capacities. However, it was difficult to distinguish whether transcriptomic changes were specific to DNA damage or mutual with anhydrobiosis. To this end, we performed transcriptome analysis on bleomycin-exposed Hypsibius exemplaris. We observed induction of several tardigrade-specific gene families, including a previously identified novel anti-oxidative stress family, which may be a core component of the cross-tolerance mechanism. We also identified enrichment of the tryptophan metabolism pathway, for which metabolomic analysis suggested engagement of this pathway in stress tolerance. These results provide several candidates for the core component of cross-tolerance, as well as possible anhydrobiosis machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Yoshida
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Hirayama
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
- Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazuharu Arakawa
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
- Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
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3
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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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4
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Flinn BB, O'Dell HM, Joseph KM, Smythers AL, Neff DP, Hicks LM, Norton ML, Kolling DRJ. Fluorescence shadow imaging of Hypsibius exemplaris reveals morphological differences between sucrose- and CaCl 2-induced osmobiotes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11845. [PMID: 38782941 PMCID: PMC11116526 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61374-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades are renowned for their ability to survive a wide array of environmental stressors. In particular, tardigrades can curl in on themselves while losing a significant proportion of their internal water content to form a structure referred to as a tun. In surviving varying conditions, tardigrades undergo distinct morphological transformations that could indicate different mechanisms of stress sensing and tolerance specific to the stress condition. Methods to effectively distinguish between morphological transformations, including between tuns induced by different stress conditions, are lacking. Herein, an approach for discriminating between tardigrade morphological states is developed and utilized to compare sucrose- and CaCl2-induced tuns, using the model species Hypsibius exemplaris. A novel approach of shadow imaging with confocal laser scanning microscopy enabled production of three-dimensional renderings of Hys. exemplaris in various physiological states resulting in volume measurements. Combining these measurements with qualitative morphological analysis using scanning electron microscopy revealed that sucrose- and CaCl2-induced tuns have distinct morphologies, including differences in the amount of water expelled during tun formation. Further, varying the concentration of the applied stressor did not affect the amount of water lost, pointing towards water expulsion by Hys. exemplaris being a controlled process that is adapted to the specific stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendin B Flinn
- Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
| | - Hayden M O'Dell
- Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
| | - Kara M Joseph
- Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
| | - Amanda L Smythers
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - David P Neff
- Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
| | - Leslie M Hicks
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael L Norton
- Department of Chemistry, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
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5
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Zarubin M, Azorskaya T, Kuldoshina O, Alekseev S, Mitrofanov S, Kravchenko E. The tardigrade Dsup protein enhances radioresistance in Drosophila melanogaster and acts as an unspecific repressor of transcription. iScience 2023; 26:106998. [PMID: 37534176 PMCID: PMC10391675 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The tardigrade-unique damage suppressor protein (Dsup) can protect DNA from ionizing radiation and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we generated Dsup-expressing lines of Drosophila melanogaster and demonstrated that Dsup increased the survival rate after γ-ray irradiation and hydrogen peroxide treatment in flies too, but reduced the level of their locomotor activity. The transcriptome analyses of Dsup-expressing lines revealed a significant number of DEGs, >99% of which were down-regulated. Moreover, Dsup could bind RNA. These findings suggest that Dsup can act not only as a DNA protector but also as a non-specific transcriptional repressor and RNA-binding protein, that may lead to disturbance of a number of biological processes in D. melanogaster. The obtained data demonstrate features of the Dsup protein action in non-tardigrade organisms and can be used to understand the impact of other unspecific DNA/RNA-binding proteins on ROS and radiation resistance, gene expression, and epigenetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Zarubin
- Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems, International Intergovernmental Organization Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980, Russia
| | - Talyana Azorskaya
- Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems, International Intergovernmental Organization Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980, Russia
| | - Olga Kuldoshina
- Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems, International Intergovernmental Organization Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980, Russia
| | - Sergey Alekseev
- Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, International Intergovernmental Organization Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980, Russia
| | - Semen Mitrofanov
- Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, International Intergovernmental Organization Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980, Russia
| | - Elena Kravchenko
- Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems, International Intergovernmental Organization Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980, Russia
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6
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Deciphering the Biological Enigma-Genomic Evolution Underlying Anhydrobiosis in the Phylum Tardigrada and the Chironomid Polypedilum vanderplanki. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13060557. [PMID: 35735894 PMCID: PMC9224920 DOI: 10.3390/insects13060557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Anhydrobiosis, an ametabolic dehydrated state triggered by water loss, is observed in several invertebrate lineages. Anhydrobiotes revive when rehydrated, and seem not to suffer the ultimately lethal cell damage that results from severe loss of water in other organisms. Here, we review the biochemical and genomic evidence that has revealed the protectant molecules, repair systems, and maintenance pathways associated with anhydrobiosis. We then introduce two lineages in which anhydrobiosis has evolved independently: Tardigrada, where anhydrobiosis characterizes many species within the phylum, and the genus Polypedilum, where anhydrobiosis occurs in only two species. Finally, we discuss the complexity of the evolution of anhydrobiosis within invertebrates based on current knowledge, and propose perspectives to enhance the understanding of anhydrobiosis.
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7
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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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8
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DNA Damage Responses during the Cell Cycle: Insights from Model Organisms and Beyond. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12121882. [PMID: 34946831 PMCID: PMC8701014 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome damage is a threat to all organisms. To respond to such damage, DNA damage responses (DDRs) lead to cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, and cell death. Many DDR components are highly conserved, whereas others have adapted to specific organismal needs. Immense progress in this field has been driven by model genetic organism research. This review has two main purposes. First, we provide a survey of model organism-based efforts to study DDRs. Second, we highlight how model organism study has contributed to understanding how specific DDRs are influenced by cell cycle stage. We also look forward, with a discussion of how future study can be expanded beyond typical model genetic organisms to further illuminate how the genome is protected.
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9
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Fortunato A, Fleming A, Aktipis A, Maley CC. Upregulation of DNA repair genes and cell extrusion underpin the remarkable radiation resistance of Trichoplax adhaerens. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001471. [PMID: 34788294 PMCID: PMC8635375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichoplax adhaerens is the simplest multicellular animal with tissue differentiation and somatic cell turnover. Like all other multicellular organisms, it should be vulnerable to cancer, yet there have been no reports of cancer in T. adhaerens or any other placozoan. We investigated the cancer resistance of T. adhaerens, discovering that they are able to tolerate high levels of radiation damage (218.6 Gy). To investigate how T. adhaerens survive levels of radiation that are lethal to other animals, we examined gene expression after the X-ray exposure, finding overexpression of genes involved in DNA repair and apoptosis including the MDM2 gene. We also discovered that T. adhaerens extrudes clusters of inviable cells after X-ray exposure. T. adhaerens is a valuable model organism for studying the molecular, genetic, and tissue-level mechanisms underlying cancer suppression. The placozoan Trichoplax adhaerens is able to tolerate high levels of radiation and is resilient to DNA damage; this study reveals that exposure to X-rays triggers the extrusion of cell clusters which subsequently die, and that radiation exposure induces the overexpression of genes involved in DNA repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Fortunato
- Arizona Cancer Evolution Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America.,Biodesign Center for Biocomputing, Security and Society, Arizona State University, Arizona, United States of America.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Alexis Fleming
- Arizona Cancer Evolution Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America.,Biodesign Center for Biocomputing, Security and Society, Arizona State University, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Athena Aktipis
- Arizona Cancer Evolution Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America.,Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Carlo C Maley
- Arizona Cancer Evolution Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America.,Biodesign Center for Biocomputing, Security and Society, Arizona State University, Arizona, United States of America.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
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10
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Ramsay BP, Marley NJ, Bilton DT, Rundle SD, Ramsay PM. The structure of tardigrade communities at fine spatial scales in an Andean Polylepis forest. NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2021.1943216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Balbina P.L. Ramsay
- Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Puebla, México
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Nigel J. Marley
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - David T. Bilton
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Simon D. Rundle
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Paul M. Ramsay
- Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Puebla, México
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
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11
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The Tardigrade Damage Suppressor Protein Modulates Transcription Factor and DNA Repair Genes in Human Cells Treated with Hydroxyl Radicals and UV-C. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10100970. [PMID: 34681069 PMCID: PMC8533384 DOI: 10.3390/biology10100970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The Ramazzottius varieornatus is known to be the most resilient invertebrate on Earth. Belonging to the phylum of Tardigrada, it can live in any habitat, from the deep sea to various terrestrial environments, surviving in extreme temperatures, severe dryness or air deprivation. This exceptional tolerance to extreme conditions is attributable to the Dsup protein, which is able to bind and “protect” the DNA of this micro-animal, allowing it to survive where most other forms of life would quickly die. By introducing Dsup in human cell cultures, we investigated how this protein operates in response to two different extreme conditions: oxidative stress and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. We learned that Dsup increases cell survival by triggering significantly different cellular mechanisms. In cells treated with hydrogen peroxide, Dsup “physically” protects DNA and activates several detoxification pathways aimed to remove intracellular free radicals. In contrast to this, a direct protection of DNA is not exerted by Dsup after UV irradiation, but the protein seems to activate mechanisms of DNA damage repair more efficiently, promoting faster cell recovery and survival. Even though further studies are required, understanding the mechanisms associated with Dsup resistance to cell damage may represent an important benefit for humans and plants. Abstract The Ramazzottius varieornatus tardigrade is an extremotolerant terrestrial invertebrate with a length of 0.1–1.0 mm. These small animals show an extraordinary tolerance to extreme conditions such as high pressure, irradiation, chemicals and dehydration. These abilities are linked to a recently discovered damage suppressor protein (Dsup). Dsup is a nucleosome-binding protein that avoids DNA damage after X-ray and oxidative stress exposure without impairing cell life in Dsup-transfected animal and plant cells. The exact “protective” role of this protein is still under study. In human cells, we confirmed that Dsup confers resistance to UV-C and H2O2 exposure compared to untransfected cells. A different transcription factor activation was also observed. In addition, a different expression of endogenous genes involved in apoptosis, cell survival and DNA repair was found in Dsup+ cells after H2O2 and UV-C. In UV-C exposed cells, Dsup efficiently upregulates DNA damage repair genes, while H2O2 treatment only marginally involves the activation of pathways responsible for DNA repair in Dsup+ cells. These data are in agreement with the idea of a direct protective effect of the protein on DNA after oxidative stress. In conclusion, our data may help to outline the different mechanisms by which the Dsup protein works in response to different insults.
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12
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Experimental evolution of extremophile resistance to ionizing radiation. Trends Genet 2021; 37:830-845. [PMID: 34088512 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A growing number of known species possess a remarkable characteristic - extreme resistance to the effects of ionizing radiation (IR). This review examines our current understanding of how organisms can adapt to and survive exposure to IR, one of the most toxic stressors known. The study of natural extremophiles such as Deinococcus radiodurans has revealed much. However, the evolution of Deinococcus was not driven by IR. Another approach, pioneered by Evelyn Witkin in 1946, is to utilize experimental evolution. Contributions to the IR-resistance phenotype affect multiple aspects of cell physiology, including DNA repair, removal of reactive oxygen species, the structure and packaging of DNA and the cell itself, and repair of iron-sulfur centers. Based on progress to date, we overview the diversity of mechanisms that can contribute to biological IR resistance arising as a result of either natural or experimental evolution.
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13
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Romsdahl J, Schultzhaus Z, Chen A, Liu J, Ewing A, Hervey J, Wang Z. Adaptive evolution of a melanized fungus reveals robust augmentation of radiation resistance by abrogating non-homologous end-joining. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:3627-3645. [PMID: 33078510 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Fungi have been observed to exhibit resistance to high levels of ionizing radiation despite sharing most DNA repair mechanisms with other eukaryotes. Radioresistance, in fact, is such a common feature in fungi that it is difficult to identify species that exhibit widely different radiosensitivities, which in turn has hampered the identification of genetic elements responsible for this resistance phenotype. Due to the inherent mutagenic properties of radiation exposure, however, this can be addressed through adaptive laboratory evolution for increased ionizing radiation resistance. Here, using the black yeast Exophiala dermatitidis, we demonstrate that resistance to γ-radiation can be greatly increased through repeated rounds of irradiation and outgrowth. Moreover, we find that the small genome size of fungi situates them as a relatively simple functional genomics platform for identification of mutations associated with ionizing radiation resistance. This enabled the identification of genetic mutations in genes encoding proteins with a broad range of functions from 10 evolved strains. Specifically, we find that greatly increased resistance to γ-radiation is achieved in E. dermatitidis through disruption of the non-homologous end-joining pathway, with three individual evolutionary paths converging to abolish this DNA repair process. This result suggests that non-homologous end-joining, even in haploid cells where homologous chromosomes are not present during much of the cell cycle, is an impediment to repair of radiation-induced lesions in this organism, and that the relative levels of homologous and non-homologous repair in a given fungal species may play a major role in its radiation resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Romsdahl
- National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associate, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Zachary Schultzhaus
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Amy Chen
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Jing Liu
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA, USA
| | | | - Judson Hervey
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Center for Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
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14
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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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15
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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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16
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Boothby TC. Mechanisms and evolution of resistance to environmental extremes in animals. EvoDevo 2019; 10:30. [PMID: 31827759 PMCID: PMC6862762 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-019-0143-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
When animals are exposed to an extreme environmental stress, one of three possible outcomes takes place: the animal dies, the animal avoids the environmental stress and survives, or the animal tolerates the environmental stress and survives. This review is concerned with the third possibility, and will look at mechanisms that rare animals use to survive extreme environmental stresses including freezing, desiccation, intense heat, irradiation, and low-oxygen conditions (hypoxia). In addition, an increasing understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in environmental stress tolerance allows us to speculate on how these tolerances arose. Uncovering the mechanisms of extreme environmental stress tolerance and how they evolve has broad implications for our understanding of the evolution of early life on this planet, colonization of new environments, and the search for novel forms of life both on Earth and elsewhere, as well as a number of agricultural and health-related applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Boothby
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY USA
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17
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Chavez C, Cruz-Becerra G, Fei J, Kassavetis GA, Kadonaga JT. The tardigrade damage suppressor protein binds to nucleosomes and protects DNA from hydroxyl radicals. eLife 2019; 8:47682. [PMID: 31571581 PMCID: PMC6773438 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are animals that can survive extreme conditions. The tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus contains a unique nuclear protein termed Dsup, for damage suppressor, which can increase the resistance of human cells to DNA damage under conditions, such as ionizing radiation or hydrogen peroxide treatment, that generate hydroxyl radicals. Here we find that R. varieornatus Dsup is a nucleosome-binding protein that protects chromatin from hydroxyl radicals. Moreover, a Dsup ortholog from the tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris similarly binds to nucleosomes and protects DNA from hydroxyl radicals. Strikingly, a conserved region in Dsup proteins exhibits sequence similarity to the nucleosome-binding domain of vertebrate HMGN proteins and is functionally important for nucleosome binding and hydroxyl radical protection. These findings suggest that Dsup promotes the survival of tardigrades under diverse conditions by a direct mechanism that involves binding to nucleosomes and protecting chromosomal DNA from hydroxyl radicals. Tardigrades, also known as water bears and moss piglets, are small animals found in many different environments on land and sea. These animals have the remarkable ability to survive extremes including very low temperatures, high levels of radiation and exposure to chemicals that are harmful to other forms of life. Tardigrades have even been found to survive the harsh conditions of outer space. X-rays are a type of radiation naturally produced by lightning strikes and are also found in cosmic rays from outer space. High doses of X-rays can cause genetic mutations that may lead to serious illness or death. This is because when X-rays come into contact with water they split the water molecules to make particles known as hydroxyl radicals, which in turn damage the DNA inside cells. The genomes of animals and plants are made of DNA, which is packaged into a structure called chromatin. Previous studies identified a protein named Dsup in a tardigrade called Ramazzottius varieornatus that can protect human cells from damage by X-rays. However, it was not known whether Dsup binds directly to chromatin or plays a more indirect role in protecting DNA. Chavez, Cruz-Becerra, Fei, Kassavetis et al. used biochemical approaches to study Dsup. Their experiments revealed that Dsup from R. varieornatus binds to chromatin to protect the DNA from damage by hydroxyl radicals, and that the Dsup protein in another tardigrade species also works in a similar way. Further analysis showed that a region of Dsup that is needed to bind to chromatin is very similar to a region that had been previously found only in chromatin-binding proteins from humans and other vertebrates (animals with backbones). This connection between Dsup and vertebrate chromatin-binding proteins remains a mystery. The new findings about tardigrade Dsup may help researchers develop animal cells that live longer under normal or extreme environmental conditions. In this manner, Dsup could be used to expand the range of applications of cells in biotechnology. It could also increase the effectiveness of current methods, such as the production of some pharmaceuticals, that depend upon the use of cultured cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Chavez
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Grisel Cruz-Becerra
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Jia Fei
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - George A Kassavetis
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - James T Kadonaga
- Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
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18
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Jönsson KI. Radiation Tolerance in Tardigrades: Current Knowledge and Potential Applications in Medicine. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1333. [PMID: 31505739 PMCID: PMC6770827 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11091333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades represent a phylum of very small aquatic animals in which many species have evolved adaptations to survive under extreme environmental conditions, such as desiccation and freezing. Studies on several species have documented that tardigrades also belong to the most radiation-tolerant animals on Earth. This paper gives an overview of our current knowledge on radiation tolerance of tardigrades, with respect to dose-responses, developmental stages, and different radiation sources. The molecular mechanisms behind radiation tolerance in tardigrades are still largely unknown, but omics studies suggest that both mechanisms related to the avoidance of DNA damage and mechanisms of DNA repair are involved. The potential of tardigrades to provide knowledge of importance for medical sciences has long been recognized, but it is not until recently that more apparent evidence of such potential has appeared. Recent studies show that stress-related tardigrade genes may be transfected to human cells and provide increased tolerance to osmotic stress and ionizing radiation. With the recent sequencing of the tardigrade genome, more studies applying tardigrade omics to relevant aspects of human medicine are expected. In particular, the cancer research field has potential to learn from studies on tardigrades about molecular mechanisms evolved to maintain genome integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Ingemar Jönsson
- Department of Environmental Science and Bioscience, Kristianstad University, 291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden.
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Sugiura K, Minato H, Suzuki AC, Arakawa K, Kunieda T, Matsumoto M. Comparison of Sexual Reproductive Behaviors in Two Species of Macrobiotidae (Tardigrada: Eutardigrada). Zoolog Sci 2019; 36:120-127. [DOI: 10.2108/zs180103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Sugiura
- School of Fundamental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Hiroki Minato
- School of Fundamental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
| | - Atsushi C. Suzuki
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine, Keio University, 4-1-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 223-8521, Japan
| | - Kazuharu Arakawa
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, 14-1, Baba-cho, Tsuruoka-shi, Yamagata 997-0035, Japan
| | - Takekazu Kunieda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Midori Matsumoto
- School of Fundamental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
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20
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Rost-Roszkowska M, Janelt K, Poprawa I. Fine structure of the midgut epithelium of Thulinius ruffoi (Tardigrada, Eutardigrada, Parachela) in relation to oogenesis and simplex stage. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2019; 49:128-136. [PMID: 30557624 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Thulinius ruffoi is a small freshwater tardigrade that lives in both non-polluted and polluted freshwater environments. As a result of tardigradan body miniaturization, the digestive system is reduced and simplified. It consists of a short fore- and hindgut, and the midgut in the shape of a short tube is lined with a simple epithelium. The midgut epithelium is formed by the digestive cells and two rings of crescent-shaped cells were also detected. The anterior ring is located at the border between the fore- and midgut, while the posterior ring is situated between the mid- and hindgut. The precise ultrastructure of the digestive and crescent-shaped cells was examined using transmission electron microscopy, serial block face scanning electron microscopy and histochemical methods. We analyzed the changes that occurred in the midgut epithelial cells according to oogenesis (the species is parthenogenetic and there were only females in the laboratory culture). We focused on the accumulation of reserve material and the relationship between this and the intensity of autophagy. We concluded that autophagy supplies energy during a natural period of starvation (the simplex stage) and delivers the energy and probably the substances that are required during oogenesis. Apoptosis was not detected in the midgut epithelium of T. ruffoi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Rost-Roszkowska
- University of Silesia in Katowice, Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Kamil Janelt
- University of Silesia in Katowice, Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Izabela Poprawa
- University of Silesia in Katowice, Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, Bankowa 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland.
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21
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Carbonylation accumulation of the Hypsibius exemplaris anhydrobiote reveals age-associated marks. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208617. [PMID: 30586374 PMCID: PMC6306161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208617] [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: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Together with nematodes and rotifers, tardigrade belong to micrometazoans that can cope with environmental extremes such as UV and solar radiations, dehydration, supercooling or overheating. Tardigrade can resist the harshest conditions by turning to cryptobiosis, an anhydrobiotic state that results from almost complete dehydration and is characterized by an ametabolic status. Although reports have challenged the molecular basis of the mechanisms underlying genomic injury resistance, little is yet known regarding the possible involvement of other tardigrade macromolecules in injury during a stress experience. In this report, we show that the tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris can accumulate molecular damages by means of in situ detection of carbonyls. Furthermore, we demonstrate that living tardigrade can accumulate carbonylation. Finally, we reveal that anhydrobiotic tardigrade can be constitutively affected by carbonylation that marks aging in other metazoans.
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22
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Richaud M, Galas S. Defining the viability of tardigrades with a molecular sensor related to death. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206444. [PMID: 30365540 PMCID: PMC6203378 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The design of experimental protocols that use animal models to assess the impact of a stress on a population or to determine the life span expectancy impact can be time-consuming due to the need for direct observations of dead and living animals. These experiments are usually based on the detectable activity of animals such as food intake or mobility and can sometimes produce either under- or overestimated results. The tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris is an emerging model for the evolutionary biology of the tardigrade phylum because of its convenient laboratory breeding and the recent introduction of new molecular tools. In this report, we describe the use of a new fluorescent dye that can specifically stain dead tardigrades. Furthermore, we also monitored the absence of a toxic side effect of the death-linked fluorescent dye on tardigrade populations. Finally, we conclude that tardigrade experiments that require survival counting of the Hypsibius exemplaris species can be greatly improved by using this technique in order to limit underestimation of alive animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Richaud
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Simon Galas
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
- * E-mail:
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23
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Yoshida Y, Konno S, Nishino R, Murai Y, Tomita M, Arakawa K. Ultralow Input Genome Sequencing Library Preparation from a Single Tardigrade Specimen. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 30059025 DOI: 10.3791/57615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades are microscopic animals that enter an ametabolic state called anhydrobiosis when facing desiccation and can return to their original state when water is supplied. The genomic sequencing of microscopic animals such as tardigrades risks bacterial contamination that sometimes leads to erroneous interpretations, for example, regarding the extent of horizontal gene transfer in these animals. Here, we provide an ultralow input method to sequence the genome of the tardigrade, Hypsibius dujardini, from a single specimen. By employing rigorous washing and contaminant exclusion along with an efficient extraction of the 50 ~ 200 pg genomic DNA from a single individual, we constructed a library sequenced with a DNA sequencing instrument. These libraries were highly reproducible and unbiased, and an informatics analysis of the sequenced reads with other H. dujardini genomes showed a minimal amount of contamination. This method can be applied to unculturable tardigrades that could not be sequenced using previous methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Yoshida
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University; Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University
| | - Sayuri Konno
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University; Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University
| | - Ryousuke Nishino
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University; Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University
| | - Yumi Murai
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University; Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University
| | - Masaru Tomita
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University; Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University; Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University
| | - Kazuharu Arakawa
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University; Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University; Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University;
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24
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The role of autophagy in the midgut epithelium of Parachela (Tardigrada). ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2018; 137:501-509. [PMID: 30524174 PMCID: PMC6244646 DOI: 10.1007/s00435-018-0407-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The process of cell death has been detected in the midgut epithelium of four tardigrade species which belong to Parachela: Macrobiotus diversus, Macrobiotus polonicus, Hypsibius dujardini and Xerobiotus pseudohufelandi. They originated from different environments so they have been affected by different stressors: M. polonicus was extracted from a moss sample collected from a railway embankment; M. diversus was extracted from a moss sample collected from a petrol station; X. pseudohufelandi originated from sandy and dry soil samples collected from a pine forest; H. dujardini was obtained commercially but it lives in a freshwater or even in wet terrestrial environment. Autophagy is caused in the digestive cells of the midgut epithelium by different factors. However, a distinct crosstalk between autophagy and necrosis in tardigrades' digestive system has been described at the ultrastructural level. Apoptosis has not been detected in the midgut epithelium of analyzed species. We also determined that necrosis is the major process that is responsible for the degeneration of the midgut epithelium of tardigrades, and "apoptosis-necrosis continuum" which is the relationship between these two processes, is disrupted.
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25
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Cortese F, Klokov D, Osipov A, Stefaniak J, Moskalev A, Schastnaya J, Cantor C, Aliper A, Mamoshina P, Ushakov I, Sapetsky A, Vanhaelen Q, Alchinova I, Karganov M, Kovalchuk O, Wilkins R, Shtemberg A, Moreels M, Baatout S, Izumchenko E, de Magalhães JP, Artemov AV, Costes SV, Beheshti A, Mao XW, Pecaut MJ, Kaminskiy D, Ozerov IV, Scheibye-Knudsen M, Zhavoronkov A. Vive la radiorésistance!: converging research in radiobiology and biogerontology to enhance human radioresistance for deep space exploration and colonization. Oncotarget 2018; 9:14692-14722. [PMID: 29581875 PMCID: PMC5865701 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
While many efforts have been made to pave the way toward human space colonization, little consideration has been given to the methods of protecting spacefarers against harsh cosmic and local radioactive environments and the high costs associated with protection from the deleterious physiological effects of exposure to high-Linear energy transfer (high-LET) radiation. Herein, we lay the foundations of a roadmap toward enhancing human radioresistance for the purposes of deep space colonization and exploration. We outline future research directions toward the goal of enhancing human radioresistance, including upregulation of endogenous repair and radioprotective mechanisms, possible leeways into gene therapy in order to enhance radioresistance via the translation of exogenous and engineered DNA repair and radioprotective mechanisms, the substitution of organic molecules with fortified isoforms, and methods of slowing metabolic activity while preserving cognitive function. We conclude by presenting the known associations between radioresistance and longevity, and articulating the position that enhancing human radioresistance is likely to extend the healthspan of human spacefarers as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Cortese
- Biogerontology Research Foundation, London, UK
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dmitry Klokov
- Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andreyan Osipov
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- State Research Center - Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Jakub Stefaniak
- Biogerontology Research Foundation, London, UK
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alexey Moskalev
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russia
- Laboratory of Molecular Radiobiology and Gerontology, Institute of Biology of Komi Science Center of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, Russia
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Jane Schastnaya
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Charles Cantor
- Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Aliper
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, D. Rogachev Federal Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Polina Mamoshina
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Computer Science Department, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Igor Ushakov
- State Research Center - Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alex Sapetsky
- State Research Center - Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
| | - Quentin Vanhaelen
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Irina Alchinova
- Laboratory of Physicochemical and Ecological Pathophysiology, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
- Research Institute for Space Medicine, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail Karganov
- Laboratory of Physicochemical and Ecological Pathophysiology, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Kovalchuk
- Canada Cancer and Aging Research Laboratories, Ltd., Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ruth Wilkins
- Environmental and Radiation and Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrey Shtemberg
- Laboratory of Extreme Physiology, Institute of Medical and Biological Problems RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marjan Moreels
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, (SCK·CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, (SCK·CEN), Mol, Belgium
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Evgeny Izumchenko
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Cancer Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - João Pedro de Magalhães
- Biogerontology Research Foundation, London, UK
- Integrative Genomics of Ageing Group, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Artem V. Artemov
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Afshin Beheshti
- Wyle Laboratories, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiao Wen Mao
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences (BMES), Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Michael J. Pecaut
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences (BMES), Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Dmitry Kaminskiy
- Biogerontology Research Foundation, London, UK
- Deep Knowledge Life Sciences, London, UK
| | - Ivan V. Ozerov
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- State Research Center - Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Biogerontology Research Foundation, London, UK
- Insilico Medicine, Inc., Emerging Technology Centers, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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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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27
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Jönsson KI, Levine EB, Wojcik A, Haghdoost S, Harms-Ringdahl M. Environmental Adaptations: Radiation Tolerance. WATER BEARS: THE BIOLOGY OF TARDIGRADES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-95702-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Yoshida Y, Koutsovoulos G, Laetsch DR, Stevens L, Kumar S, Horikawa DD, Ishino K, Komine S, Kunieda T, Tomita M, Blaxter M, Arakawa K. Comparative genomics of the tardigrades Hypsibius dujardini and Ramazzottius varieornatus. PLoS Biol 2017; 15:e2002266. [PMID: 28749982 PMCID: PMC5531438 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tardigrada, a phylum of meiofaunal organisms, have been at the center of discussions of the evolution of Metazoa, the biology of survival in extreme environments, and the role of horizontal gene transfer in animal evolution. Tardigrada are placed as sisters to Arthropoda and Onychophora (velvet worms) in the superphylum Panarthropoda by morphological analyses, but many molecular phylogenies fail to recover this relationship. This tension between molecular and morphological understanding may be very revealing of the mode and patterns of evolution of major groups. Limnoterrestrial tardigrades display extreme cryptobiotic abilities, including anhydrobiosis and cryobiosis, as do bdelloid rotifers, nematodes, and other animals of the water film. These extremophile behaviors challenge understanding of normal, aqueous physiology: how does a multicellular organism avoid lethal cellular collapse in the absence of liquid water? Meiofaunal species have been reported to have elevated levels of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events, but how important this is in evolution, and particularly in the evolution of extremophile physiology, is unclear. To address these questions, we resequenced and reassembled the genome of H. dujardini, a limnoterrestrial tardigrade that can undergo anhydrobiosis only after extensive pre-exposure to drying conditions, and compared it to the genome of R. varieornatus, a related species with tolerance to rapid desiccation. The 2 species had contrasting gene expression responses to anhydrobiosis, with major transcriptional change in H. dujardini but limited regulation in R. varieornatus. We identified few horizontally transferred genes, but some of these were shown to be involved in entry into anhydrobiosis. Whole-genome molecular phylogenies supported a Tardigrada+Nematoda relationship over Tardigrada+Arthropoda, but rare genomic changes tended to support Tardigrada+Arthropoda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Yoshida
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Georgios Koutsovoulos
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Dominik R. Laetsch
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- The James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Lewis Stevens
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sujai Kumar
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Daiki D. Horikawa
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kyoko Ishino
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Shiori Komine
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Takekazu Kunieda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaru Tomita
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mark Blaxter
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Kazuharu Arakawa
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Systems Biology Program, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
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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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Vishambra D, Srivastava M, Dev K, Jaiswal V. Subcellular localization based comparative study on radioresistant bacteria: A novel approach to mine proteins involve in radioresistance. Comput Biol Chem 2017; 69:1-9. [PMID: 28527408 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 03/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Radioresistant bacteria (RRB) are among the most radioresistant organisms and has a unique role in evolution. Along with the evolutionary role, radioresistant organisms play important role in paper industries, bioremediation, vaccine development and possibility in anti-aging and anti-cancer treatment. The study of radiation resistance in RRB was mainly focused on cytosolic mechanisms such as DNA repair mechanism, cell cleansing activity and high antioxidant activity. Although it was known that protein localized on outer areas of cell play role in resistance towards extreme condition but the mechanisms/proteins localized on the outer area of cells are not studied for radioresistance. Considering the fact that outer part of cell is more exposed to radiations and proteins present in outer area of the cell may have role in radioresistance. Localization based comparative study of proteome from RRB and non-radio resistant bacteria was carried out. In RRB 20 unique proteins have been identified. Further domain, structural, and pathway analysis of selected proteins were carried out. Out of 20 proteins, 8 proteins were direct involvement in radioresistance and literature study strengthens this, however, 1 proteins had assumed relation in radioresistance. Selected radioresistant proteins may be helpful for optimal use of RRB in industry and health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Vishambra
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Malay Srivastava
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Kamal Dev
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Varun Jaiswal
- School of Electrical and Computer Science Engineering, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.
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Hygum TL, Fobian D, Kamilari M, Jørgensen A, Schiøtt M, Grosell M, Møbjerg N. Comparative Investigation of Copper Tolerance and Identification of Putative Tolerance Related Genes in Tardigrades. Front Physiol 2017; 8:95. [PMID: 28293195 PMCID: PMC5328964 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades are microscopic aquatic animals renowned for their tolerance toward extreme environmental conditions. The current study is the first to investigate their tolerance toward heavy metals and we present a novel tardigrade toxicant tolerance assay based on activity assessments as a measure of survival. Specifically, we compare tolerance toward copper in four species representing different evolutionary lineages, habitats and adaptation strategies, i.e., a marine heterotardigrade, Echiniscoides sigismundi, a limno-terrestrial heterotardigrade, Echiniscus testudo, a limno-terrestrial eutardigrade, Ramazzottius oberhaeuseri, and a marine eutardigrade, Halobiotus crispae. The latter was sampled at a time of year, when the population is predominantly represented by aberrant P1 cysts, while the other species were in normal active states prior to exposure. Based on volume measurements and a general relation between body mass and copper tolerance, expected tardigrade EC50 values were estimated at 0.5–2 μg l−1. Following 24 h of exposure, tolerance was high with no apparent link to lineage or habitat. EC50s (95% CI), 24 h after exposure, were estimated at 178 (168–186) and 310 (295–328) μg l−1, respectively, for E. sigismundi and R. oberhaeuseri, whereas E. testudo and H. crispae were less affected. Highest tolerance was observed in H. crispae with a mean ± s.e.m. activity of 77 ± 2% (n = 3) 24 h after removal from ~3 mg l−1 copper, suggesting that tardigrade cysts have increased tolerance toward toxicants. In order to identify putative tolerance related genes, an E. sigismundi transcriptome was searched for key enzymes involved in osmoregulation, antioxidant defense and copper metabolism. We found high expression of Na/K ATPase and carbonic anhydrase, known targets for copper. Our transcriptome, furthermore, revealed high expression of antioxidant enzymes, copper transporters, ATOX1, and a Cu-ATPase. In summary, our results indicate that tardigrades express well-known key osmoregulatory enzymes, supporting the hypothesis that copper inhibits sodium turnover as demonstrated for other aquatic organisms. Tardigrades, nevertheless, have high tolerance toward the toxicant, which is likely linked to high expression of antioxidant enzymes and an ability to enter dormant states. Tardigrades, furthermore, seem to have a well-developed battery of cuproproteins involved in copper homeostasis, providing basis for active copper sequestering and excretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L Hygum
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dannie Fobian
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Kamilari
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Aslak Jørgensen
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Schiøtt
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Grosell
- Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami Miami, FL, USA
| | - Nadja Møbjerg
- Section for Cell Biology and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
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Jönsson KI, Wojcik A. Tolerance to X-rays and Heavy Ions (Fe, He) in the Tardigrade Richtersius coronifer and the Bdelloid Rotifer Mniobia russeola. ASTROBIOLOGY 2017; 17:163-167. [PMID: 28206820 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze tolerance to heavy ions in desiccated animals of the eutardigrade Richtersius coronifer and the bdelloid rotifer Mniobia russeola within the STARLIFE project. Both species were exposed to iron (Fe) and helium (He) ions at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) in Chiba, Japan, and to X-rays at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne, Germany. Results show no effect of Fe and He on viability up to 7 days post-rehydration in both R. coronifer and M. russeola, while X-rays tended to reduce viability in R. coronifer at the highest doses. Mean egg production rate tended to decline with higher doses in R. coronifer for all radiation types, but the pattern was not statistically confirmed. In M. russeola, there was no such tendency for a dose response in egg production rate. These results confirm the previously reported high tolerance to high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation in tardigrades and show for the first time that bdelloid rotifers are also very tolerant to high-LET radiation. These animal phyla represent the most desiccation- and radiation-tolerant animals on Earth and provide excellent eukaryotic models for astrobiological research. Key Words: Tardigrada-Rotifera-Radiation tolerance-Heavy ions-X-rays. Astrobiology 17, 163-167.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Ingemar Jönsson
- 1 School of Education and Environment, Kristianstad University , Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Andrzej Wojcik
- 2 Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University , Stockholm, Sweden
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Vasanthan T, Alejaldre L, Hider J, Patel S, Husain N, Umapathisivam B, Stone J. G-Equivalent Acceleration Tolerance in the Eutardigrade Species Hypsibius dujardini. ASTROBIOLOGY 2017; 17:55-60. [PMID: 28051326 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Tardigrades are microscopic organisms renowned for their ability to survive extreme environmental conditions. Tardigrade extreme-tolerance research has centered on the ability to withstand desiccation, low and high temperatures, and high hydrostatic pressure and radiation levels. Tardigrade tolerance to hypergravity, however, has yet to be described. We used the eutardigrade species Hypsibius dujardini to investigate short-term tolerance to g-equivalent accelerations (i.e., mimicking g-forces). Data obtained from specimens centrifuged between 3421g and 16,060g for 1 min inclusively reveal tolerance in an acceleration-dependent relation, with lower survivorship and egg production at higher accelerations. This is the first study to demonstrate tardigrade potential for tolerance to hypergravity and describe expected effects on tardigrade survival and reproduction. These findings will prove to be useful in lithopanspermia research (i.e., viable spread in meteoritic rocks). Key Words: Astrobiology-Extreme tolerance-Hypergravity-Tardigrade. Astrobiology 17, 55-60.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarushika Vasanthan
- 1 Department of Biology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Canada
- 2 Origins Institute, McMaster University , Hamilton, Canada
| | - Lorea Alejaldre
- 1 Department of Biology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Canada
| | - Jessica Hider
- 1 Department of Biology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Canada
| | - Shreya Patel
- 1 Department of Biology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Canada
| | - Nabiha Husain
- 1 Department of Biology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Canada
| | | | - Jonathon Stone
- 1 Department of Biology, McMaster University , Hamilton, Canada
- 2 Origins Institute, McMaster University , Hamilton, Canada
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34
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Jönsson KI, Hygum TL, Andersen KN, Clausen LKB, Møbjerg N. Tolerance to Gamma Radiation in the Marine Heterotardigrade, Echiniscoides sigismundi. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168884. [PMID: 27997621 PMCID: PMC5173286 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades belong to the most radiation tolerant animals on Earth, as documented by a number of studies using both low-LET and high-LET ionizing radiation. Previous studies have focused on semi-terrestrial species, which are also very tolerant to desiccation. The predominant view on the reason for the high radiation tolerance among these semi-terrestrial species is that it relies on molecular mechanisms that evolved as adaptations for surviving dehydration. In this study we report the first study on radiation tolerance in a marine tardigrade, Echiniscoides sigismundi. Adult specimens in the hydrated active state were exposed to doses of gamma radiation from 100 to 5000 Gy. The results showed little effect of radiation at 100 and 500 Gy but a clear decline in activity at 1000 Gy and higher. The highest dose survived was 4000 Gy, at which ca. 8% of the tardigrades were active 7 days after irradiation. LD50 in the first 7 days after irradiation was in the range of 1100–1600 Gy. Compared to previous studies on radiation tolerance in semi-terrestrial and limnic tardigrades, Echiniscoides sigismundi seems to have a lower tolerance. However, the species still fits into the category of tardigrades that have high tolerance to both desiccation and radiation, supporting the hypothesis that radiation tolerance is a by-product of adaptive mechanisms to survive desiccation. More studies on radiation tolerance in tardigrade species adapted to permanently wet conditions, both marine and freshwater, are needed to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the patterns of radiation tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Ingemar Jönsson
- School of Education and Environment, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
- * E-mail: (KIJ); (NM)
| | - Thomas L. Hygum
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Nadja Møbjerg
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- * E-mail: (KIJ); (NM)
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35
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Jönsson KI, Schill RO, Rabbow E, Rettberg P, Harms-Ringdahl M. The fate of the TARDIS offspring: no intergenerational effects of space exposure. Zool J Linn Soc 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Ingemar Jönsson
- School of Education and Environment; Kristianstad University; Kristianstad Sweden
| | - Ralph O. Schill
- Department of Zoology; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems; University of Stuttgart; Stuttgart Germany
| | - Elke Rabbow
- Radiation Biology; Institute of Aerospace Medicine, DLR; Cologne Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology; Institute of Aerospace Medicine, DLR; Cologne Germany
| | - Mats Harms-Ringdahl
- Centre for Radiation Protection Research; Department of Molecular Biosciences; The Wenner-Gren Institute; Stockholm University; Stockholm Sweden
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36
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Czernekova M, Jönsson KI. Mitosis in storage cells of the eutardigradeRichtersius coronifer. Zool J Linn Soc 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Czernekova
- School of Education and Environment; Kristianstad University; Kristianstad Sweden
- Institute of Physiology; Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic; Prague Czech Republic
- Faculty of Medicine; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - K. Ingemar Jönsson
- School of Education and Environment; Kristianstad University; Kristianstad Sweden
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Fernandez C, Vasanthan T, Kissoon N, Karam G, Duquette N, Seymour C, Stone JR. Radiation tolerance and bystander effects in the eutardigrade speciesHypsibius dujardini(Parachaela: Hypsibiidae). Zool J Linn Soc 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Fernandez
- Department of Biology; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - T. Vasanthan
- Department of Biology; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 Canada
- Origins Institute; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
| | - N. Kissoon
- Department of Biology; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - G. Karam
- Department of Biology; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - N. Duquette
- Department of Biology; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - C. Seymour
- Department of Medical Physics and Applied Radiation Sciences; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 Canada
| | - J. R. Stone
- Department of Biology; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 Canada
- Origins Institute; McMaster University; 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 4M1 Canada
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38
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Czernekova M, Jönsson KI. Experimentally Induced Repeated Anhydrobiosis in the Eutardigrade Richtersius coronifer. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0164062. [PMID: 27828978 PMCID: PMC5102368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades represent one of the main animal groups with anhydrobiotic capacity at any stage of their life cycle. The ability of tardigrades to survive repeated cycles of anhydrobiosis has rarely been studied but is of interest to understand the factors constraining anhydrobiotic survival. The main objective of this study was to investigate the patterns of survival of the eutardigrade Richtersius coronifer under repeated cycles of desiccation, and the potential effect of repeated desiccation on size, shape and number of storage cells. We also analyzed potential change in body size, gut content and frequency of mitotic storage cells. Specimens were kept under non-cultured conditions and desiccated under controlled relative humidity. After each desiccation cycle 10 specimens were selected for analysis of morphometric characteristics and mitosis. The study demonstrates that tardigrades may survive up to 6 repeated desiccations, with declining survival rates with increased number of desiccations. We found a significantly higher proportion of animals that were unable to contract properly into a tun stage during the desiccation process at the 5th and 6th desiccations. Also total number of storage cells declined at the 5th and 6th desiccations, while no effect on storage cell size was observed. The frequency of mitotic storage cells tended to decline with higher number of desiccation cycles. Our study shows that the number of consecutive cycles of anhydrobiosis that R. coronifer may undergo is limited, with increased inability for tun formation and energetic constraints as possible causal factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Czernekova
- School of Education and Environment, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
- Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
| | - K. Ingemar Jönsson
- School of Education and Environment, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
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Abstract
To survive exposure to space conditions, organisms should have certain characteristics including a high tolerance for freezing, radiation and desiccation. The organisms with the best chance for survival under such conditions are extremophiles, like some species of Bacteria and Archea, Rotifera, several species of Nematoda, some of the arthropods and Tardigrada (water bears). There is no denying that tardigrades are one of the toughest animals on our planet and are the most unique in the extremophiles group. Tardigrada are very small animals (50 to 2,100 μm in length), and they inhabit great number of Earth environments. Ever since it was proven that tardigrades have high resistance to the different kinds of stress factors associated with cosmic journeys, combined with their relatively complex structure and their relative ease of observation, they have become a perfect model organism for space research. This taxon is now the focus of astrobiologists from around the world. Therefore, this paper presents a short review of the space research performed on tardigrades as well as some considerations for further studies.
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Extremotolerant tardigrade genome and improved radiotolerance of human cultured cells by tardigrade-unique protein. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12808. [PMID: 27649274 PMCID: PMC5034306 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are small aquatic animals. Some tardigrade species tolerate almost complete dehydration and exhibit extraordinary tolerance to various physical extremes in the dehydrated state. Here we determine a high-quality genome sequence of Ramazzottius varieornatus, one of the most stress-tolerant tardigrade species. Precise gene repertoire analyses reveal the presence of a small proportion (1.2% or less) of putative foreign genes, loss of gene pathways that promote stress damage, expansion of gene families related to ameliorating damage, and evolution and high expression of novel tardigrade-unique proteins. Minor changes in the gene expression profiles during dehydration and rehydration suggest constitutive expression of tolerance-related genes. Using human cultured cells, we demonstrate that a tardigrade-unique DNA-associating protein suppresses X-ray-induced DNA damage by ∼40% and improves radiotolerance. These findings indicate the relevance of tardigrade-unique proteins to tolerability and tardigrades could be a bountiful source of new protection genes and mechanisms. Tardigrades are resistant to extreme environmental conditions including dehydration, radiation and the vacuum of space. Here the authors present a high-quality genome which displays minimal horizontal gene transfer, and identify the unique tardigrade protein Dsup which suppresses DNA damage.
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Delmont TO, Eren AM. Identifying contamination with advanced visualization and analysis practices: metagenomic approaches for eukaryotic genome assemblies. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1839. [PMID: 27069789 PMCID: PMC4824900 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput sequencing provides a fast and cost-effective mean to recover genomes of organisms from all domains of life. However, adequate curation of the assembly results against potential contamination of non-target organisms requires advanced bioinformatics approaches and practices. Here, we re-analyzed the sequencing data generated for the tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini, and created a holistic display of the eukaryotic genome assembly using DNA data originating from two groups and eleven sequencing libraries. By using bacterial single-copy genes, k-mer frequencies, and coverage values of scaffolds we could identify and characterize multiple near-complete bacterial genomes from the raw assembly, and curate a 182 Mbp draft genome for H. dujardini supported by RNA-Seq data. Our results indicate that most contaminant scaffolds were assembled from Moleculo long-read libraries, and most of these contaminants have differed between library preparations. Our re-analysis shows that visualization and curation of eukaryotic genome assemblies can benefit from tools designed to address the needs of today’s microbiologists, who are constantly challenged by the difficulties associated with the identification of distinct microbial genomes in complex environmental metagenomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom O Delmont
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago , Chicago, IL , United States
| | - A Murat Eren
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States
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42
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Evidence for extensive horizontal gene transfer from the draft genome of a tardigrade. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:15976-81. [PMID: 26598659 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1510461112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), or the transfer of genes between species, has been recognized recently as more pervasive than previously suspected. Here, we report evidence for an unprecedented degree of HGT into an animal genome, based on a draft genome of a tardigrade, Hypsibius dujardini. Tardigrades are microscopic eight-legged animals that are famous for their ability to survive extreme conditions. Genome sequencing, direct confirmation of physical linkage, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that a large fraction of the H. dujardini genome is derived from diverse bacteria as well as plants, fungi, and Archaea. We estimate that approximately one-sixth of tardigrade genes entered by HGT, nearly double the fraction found in the most extreme cases of HGT into animals known to date. Foreign genes have supplemented, expanded, and even replaced some metazoan gene families within the tardigrade genome. Our results demonstrate that an unexpectedly large fraction of an animal genome can be derived from foreign sources. We speculate that animals that can survive extremes may be particularly prone to acquiring foreign genes.
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Beltrán-Pardo E, Jönsson KI, Harms-Ringdahl M, Haghdoost S, Wojcik A. Tolerance to Gamma Radiation in the Tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini from Embryo to Adult Correlate Inversely with Cellular Proliferation. PLoS One 2015. [PMID: 26208275 PMCID: PMC4514856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades are highly tolerant to desiccation and ionizing radiation but the mechanisms of this tolerance are not well understood. In this paper, we report studies on dose responses of adults and eggs of the tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini exposed to gamma radiation. In adults the LD50/48h for survival was estimated at ~ 4200 Gy, and doses higher than 100 Gy reduced both fertility and hatchability of laid eggs drastically. We also evaluated the effect of radiation (doses 50 Gy, 200 Gy, 500 Gy) on eggs in the early and late embryonic stage of development, and observed a reduced hatchability in the early stage, while no effect was found in the late stage of development. Survival of juveniles from irradiated eggs was highly affected by a 500 Gy dose, both in the early and the late stage. Juveniles hatched from eggs irradiated at 50 Gy and 200 Gy developed into adults and produced offspring, but their fertility was reduced compared to the controls. Finally we measured the effect of low temperature during irradiation at 4000 Gy and 4500 Gy on survival in adult tardigrades, and observed a slight delay in the expressed mortality when tardigrades were irradiated on ice. Since H. dujardini is a freshwater tardigrade with lower tolerance to desiccation compared to limno-terrestrial tardigrades, the high radiation tolerance in adults, similar to limno-terrestrial tardigrades, is unexpected and seems to challenge the idea that desiccation and radiation tolerance rely on the same molecular mechanisms. We suggest that the higher radiation tolerance in adults and late stage embryos of H. dujardini (and in other studied tardigrades) compared to early stage embryos may partly be due to limited mitotic activity, since tardigrades have a low degree of somatic cell division (eutely), and dividing cells are known to be more sensitive to radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Beltrán-Pardo
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - K. Ingemar Jönsson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- School of Education and Environment, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Mats Harms-Ringdahl
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Siamak Haghdoost
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrzej Wojcik
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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Kletetschka G, Hruba J. Dissolved Gases and Ice Fracturing During the Freezing of a Multicellular Organism: Lessons from Tardigrades. Biores Open Access 2015; 4:209-17. [PMID: 26309797 PMCID: PMC4497649 DOI: 10.1089/biores.2015.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Three issues are critical for successful cryopreservation of multicellular material: gases dissolved in liquid, thermal conductivity of the tissue, and localization of microstructures. Here we show that heat distribution is controlled by the gas amount dissolved in liquids and that when changing the liquid into solid, the dissolved gases either form bubbles due to the absence of space in the lattice of solids and/or are migrated toward the concentrated salt and sugar solution at the cost of amount of heat required to be removed to complete a solid-state transition. These factors affect the heat distribution in the organs to be cryopreserved. We show that the gas concentration issue controls fracturing of ice when freezing. There are volumetric changes not only when changing the liquid into solid (volume increases) but also reduction of the volume when reaching lower temperatures (volume decreases). We discuss these issues parallel with observations of the cryosurvivability of multicellular organisms, tardigrades, and discuss their analogy for cryopreservation of large organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunther Kletetschka
- Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague , Prague, Czech Republic . ; Institute of Geology, Czech Academy of Sciences , v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic . ; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley, California
| | - Jolana Hruba
- Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague , Prague, Czech Republic
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Smith FW, Jockusch EL. The metameric pattern of Hypsibius dujardini(Eutardigrada) and its relationship to that of other panarthropods. Front Zool 2014. [DOI: 10.1186/s12983-014-0066-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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Effects of ionizing radiation on embryos of the tardigrade Milnesium cf. tardigradum at different stages of development. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72098. [PMID: 24039737 PMCID: PMC3765152 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades represent one of the most desiccation and radiation tolerant animals on Earth, and several studies have documented their tolerance in the adult stage. Studies on tolerance during embryological stages are rare, but differential effects of desiccation and freezing on different developmental stages have been reported, as well as dose-dependent effect of gamma irradiation on tardigrade embryos. Here, we report a study evaluating the tolerance of eggs from the eutardigrade Milnesium cf. tardigradum to three doses of gamma radiation (50, 200 and 500 Gy) at the early, middle, and late stage of development. We found that embryos of the middle and late developmental stages were tolerant to all doses, while eggs in the early developmental stage were tolerant only to a dose of 50 Gy, and showed a declining survival with higher dose. We also observed a delay in development of irradiated eggs, suggesting that periods of DNA repair might have taken place after irradiation induced damage. The delay was independent of dose for eggs irradiated in the middle and late stage, possibly indicating a fixed developmental schedule for repair after induced damage. These results show that the tolerance to radiation in tardigrade eggs changes in the course of their development. The mechanisms behind this pattern are unknown, but may relate to changes in mitotic activities over the embryogenesis and/or to activation of response mechanisms to damaged DNA in the course of development.
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Guil N, Sanchez-Moreno S. Fine-scale patterns in micrometazoans: tardigrade diversity, community composition and trophic dynamics in leaf litter. SYST BIODIVERS 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2013.798370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Guil
- a Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology , National Museum of Natural History of Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Jose Gutierrez Abascal, 2. 28006-Madrid , Spain
| | - Sara Sanchez-Moreno
- b Plant Protection Products Unit (DTEVPF), National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, Crta. Coruña km 7.5 , 28040 , Madrid , Spain
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Horikawa DD, Cumbers J, Sakakibara I, Rogoff D, Leuko S, Harnoto R, Arakawa K, Katayama T, Kunieda T, Toyoda A, Fujiyama A, Rothschild LJ. Analysis of DNA repair and protection in the Tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus and Hypsibius dujardini after exposure to UVC radiation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e64793. [PMID: 23762256 PMCID: PMC3675078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2012] [Accepted: 04/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tardigrades inhabiting terrestrial environments exhibit extraordinary resistance to ionizing radiation and UV radiation although little is known about the mechanisms underlying the resistance. We found that the terrestrial tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus is able to tolerate massive doses of UVC irradiation by both being protected from forming UVC-induced thymine dimers in DNA in a desiccated, anhydrobiotic state as well as repairing the dimers that do form in the hydrated animals. In R. varieornatus accumulation of thymine dimers in DNA induced by irradiation with 2.5 kJ/m2 of UVC radiation disappeared 18 h after the exposure when the animals were exposed to fluorescent light but not in the dark. Much higher UV radiation tolerance was observed in desiccated anhydrobiotic R. varieornatus compared to hydrated specimens of this species. On the other hand, the freshwater tardigrade species Hypsibius dujardini that was used as control, showed much weaker tolerance to UVC radiation than R. varieornatus, and it did not contain a putative phrA gene sequence. The anhydrobiotes of R. varieornatus accumulated much less UVC-induced thymine dimers in DNA than hydrated one. It suggests that anhydrobiosis efficiently avoids DNA damage accumulation in R. varieornatus and confers better UV radiation tolerance on this species. Thus we propose that UV radiation tolerance in tardigrades is due to the both high capacities of DNA damage repair and DNA protection, a two-pronged survival strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki D. Horikawa
- Biospheric Science Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, United States of America
- NASA Astrobiology Institute
- * E-mail: (DDH); (LJR)
| | - John Cumbers
- Biospheric Science Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Iori Sakakibara
- INSERM U1016, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 8104, Paris, France
- Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Dana Rogoff
- Biospheric Science Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, United States of America
| | - Stefan Leuko
- Biospheric Science Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, United States of America
| | - Raechel Harnoto
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, United States of America
| | - Kazuharu Arakawa
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Katayama
- Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takekazu Kunieda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Toyoda
- Center for Information Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Asao Fujiyama
- Principles of Informatics Research Division, National Institute of Informatics, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lynn J. Rothschild
- Biospheric Science Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, United States of America
- NASA Astrobiology Institute
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DDH); (LJR)
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Horikawa DD, Yamaguchi A, Sakashita T, Tanaka D, Hamada N, Yukuhiro F, Kuwahara H, Kunieda T, Watanabe M, Nakahara Y, Wada S, Funayama T, Katagiri C, Higashi S, Yokobori SI, Kuwabara M, Rothschild LJ, Okuda T, Hashimoto H, Kobayashi Y. Tolerance of anhydrobiotic eggs of the Tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus to extreme environments. ASTROBIOLOGY 2012; 12:283-289. [PMID: 22490117 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Tardigrades are tiny (less than 1 mm in length) invertebrate animals that have the potential to survive travel to other planets because of their tolerance to extreme environmental conditions by means of a dry ametabolic state called anhydrobiosis. While the tolerance of adult tardigrades to extreme environments has been reported, there are few reports on the tolerance of their eggs. We examined the ability of hydrated and anhydrobiotic eggs of the tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus to hatch after exposure to ionizing irradiation (helium ions), extremely low and high temperatures, and high vacuum. We previously reported that there was a similar pattern of tolerance against ionizing radiation between hydrated and anhydrobiotic adults. In contrast, anhydrobiotic eggs (50% lethal dose; 1690 Gy) were substantially more radioresistant than hydrated ones (50% lethal dose; 509 Gy). Anhydrobiotic eggs also have a broader temperature resistance compared with hydrated ones. Over 70% of the anhydrobiotic eggs treated at either -196°C or +50°C hatched successfully, but all the hydrated eggs failed to hatch. After exposure to high-vacuum conditions (5.3×10(-4) Pa to 6.2×10(-5) Pa), the hatchability of the anhydrobiotic eggs was comparable to that of untreated control eggs.
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Horikawa DD. Survival of Tardigrades in Extreme Environments: A Model Animal for Astrobiology. CELLULAR ORIGIN, LIFE IN EXTREME HABITATS AND ASTROBIOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-1896-8_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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