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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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Vecchi M, Stec D, Rebecchi L, Michalczyk Ł, Calhim S. Ecology explains anhydrobiotic performance across tardigrades, but the shared evolutionary history matters more. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:307-318. [PMID: 37994566 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14031] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Desiccation stress is lethal to most animals. However, some microinvertebrate groups have evolved coping strategies, such as the ability to undergo anhydrobiosis (i.e. survival despite the loss of almost all body water). Tardigrades are one such group, where the molecular mechanisms of anhydrobiosis have been more thoroughly studied. Despite the ecological, evolutionary and biotechnological importance of anhydrobiosis, little is known about its inter- and intra-specific variability nor its relationship with natural habitat conditions or phylogenetic history. We developed a new index-anhydrobiotic recovery index (ARI)-to evaluate the anhydrobiotic performance of tardigrade populations from the family Macrobiotidae. Moreover, we compared the explanatory role of habitat humidity and phylogenetic history on this trait using a variance partitioning approach. We found that ARI is correlated with both microhabitat humidity and yearly rainfall, but it is mostly driven by phylogenetic niche conservatism (i.e. a high portion of ARI variation is explained by phylogeny alone). Finally, we showed that anhydrobiotic performance is highly variable, even between closely related species, and that their response to local ecological conditions is tightly linked to their phylogenetic history. This study not only presents key insights into an emerging model system, but also provides a new methodological approach for wider scale studies of the ecological and evolutionary implications of anhydrobiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Vecchi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - D Stec
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - L Rebecchi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| | - Ł Michalczyk
- Department of Invertebrate Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - S Calhim
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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Moris VC, Bruneau L, Berthe J, Heuskin AC, Penninckx S, Ritter S, Weber U, Durante M, Danchin EGJ, Hespeels B, Doninck KV. Ionizing radiation responses appear incidental to desiccation responses in the bdelloid rotifer Adineta vaga. BMC Biol 2024; 22:11. [PMID: 38273318 PMCID: PMC10809525 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01807-8] [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: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The remarkable resistance to ionizing radiation found in anhydrobiotic organisms, such as some bacteria, tardigrades, and bdelloid rotifers has been hypothesized to be incidental to their desiccation resistance. Both stresses produce reactive oxygen species and cause damage to DNA and other macromolecules. However, this hypothesis has only been investigated in a few species. RESULTS In this study, we analyzed the transcriptomic response of the bdelloid rotifer Adineta vaga to desiccation and to low- (X-rays) and high- (Fe) LET radiation to highlight the molecular and genetic mechanisms triggered by both stresses. We identified numerous genes encoding antioxidants, but also chaperones, that are constitutively highly expressed, which may contribute to the protection of proteins against oxidative stress during desiccation and ionizing radiation. We also detected a transcriptomic response common to desiccation and ionizing radiation with the over-expression of genes mainly involved in DNA repair and protein modifications but also genes with unknown functions that were bdelloid-specific. A distinct transcriptomic response specific to rehydration was also found, with the over-expression of genes mainly encoding Late Embryogenesis Abundant proteins, specific heat shock proteins, and glucose repressive proteins. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the extreme resistance of bdelloid rotifers to radiation might indeed be a consequence of their capacity to resist complete desiccation. This study paves the way to functional genetic experiments on A. vaga targeting promising candidate proteins playing central roles in radiation and desiccation resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C Moris
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Ecology (LEGE), Department of Biology - URBE, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000, Namur, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Evolution (MBE), Department of Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Lucie Bruneau
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Ecology (LEGE), Department of Biology - URBE, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000, Namur, Belgium
| | - Jérémy Berthe
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Ecology (LEGE), Department of Biology - URBE, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000, Namur, Belgium
| | - Anne-Catherine Heuskin
- Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), Laboratory of Analysis By Nuclear Reactions (LARN), University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000, Namur, Belgium
| | - Sébastien Penninckx
- Medical Physics Department, Institut Jules Bordet - Université Libre de Bruxelles, 90 Rue Meylemeersch, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sylvia Ritter
- Biophysics Department, GSI Helmholtzzentrum Für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Uli Weber
- Biophysics Department, GSI Helmholtzzentrum Für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Marco Durante
- Biophysics Department, GSI Helmholtzzentrum Für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institute of Condensed Matter Physics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Etienne G J Danchin
- Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, INRAE, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, 06903, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Boris Hespeels
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Ecology (LEGE), Department of Biology - URBE, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000, Namur, Belgium
| | - Karine Van Doninck
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Ecology (LEGE), Department of Biology - URBE, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles, 61, B-5000, Namur, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Evolution (MBE), Department of Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
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Cornette R, Indo HP, Iwata KI, Hagiwara-Komoda Y, Nakahara Y, Gusev O, Kikawada T, Okuda T, Majima HJ. Oxidative stress is an essential factor for the induction of anhydrobiosis in the desiccation-tolerant midge, Polypedilum vanderplanki (Diptera, Chironomidae). Mitochondrion 2023; 73:84-94. [PMID: 37956777 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2023.11.002] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The sleeping chironomid (Polypedilum vanderplanki) is the only insect capable of surviving complete desiccation in an ametabolic state called anhydrobiosis. Here, we focused on the role of oxidative stress and we observed the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in desiccating larvae and in those exposed to salinity stress. Oxidative stress occurs to some extent in desiccating larvae, inducing carbonylation of proteins. Oxidative stress overcomes the antioxidant defenses of the larvae during the first hour following rehydration of anhydrobiotic larvae. It facilitates the oxidation of DNA and cell membrane lipids; however, these damages are quickly repaired after a few hours. In addition to its deleterious effects, we demonstrated that artificial exposure to oxidative stress could induce a response similar to desiccation stress, at the transcriptome and protein levels. Furthermore, the response of anhydrobiosis-related genes to desiccation and salinity stress was inhibited by antioxidant treatment. Thus, we conclude that oxidative stress is an essential trigger for inducing the expression of protective genes during the onset of anhydrobiosis in desiccating of P. vanderplanki larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Cornette
- Anhydrobiosis Research Group, Division of Biomaterial Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634 Japan.
| | - Hiroko P Indo
- Department of Oncology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Iwata
- Anhydrobiosis Research Group, Division of Biomaterial Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634 Japan
| | - Yuka Hagiwara-Komoda
- Anhydrobiosis Research Group, Division of Biomaterial Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634 Japan; Department of Sustainable Agriculture, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
| | - Yuichi Nakahara
- Anhydrobiosis Research Group, Division of Biomaterial Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634 Japan; Rimco., Ltd, 12-75 Suzaki, Uruma, Okinawa 904-2234, Japan
| | - Oleg Gusev
- Intractable Disease Research Center, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Regulatory Genomics Research Center, Institute of Fundamental Biology and Medicine, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008 Russia
| | - Takahiro Kikawada
- Anhydrobiosis Research Group, Division of Biomaterial Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634 Japan
| | - Takashi Okuda
- Anhydrobiosis Research Group, Division of Biomaterial Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634 Japan; NEMLI PROJECT LLC, 2756 Okijuku, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hideyuki J Majima
- Department of Oncology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan; Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand; Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand.
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Hagelbäck P, Jönsson KI. An experimental study on tolerance to hypoxia in tardigrades. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1249773. [PMID: 37731547 PMCID: PMC10507709 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1249773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Tardigrades are small aquatic invertebrates with well documented tolerance to several environmental stresses, including desiccation, low temperature, and radiation, and an ability to survive long periods in a cryptobiotic state under arrested metabolism. Many tardigrade populations live in habitats where temporary exposure to hypoxia is expected, e.g., benthic layers or substrates that regularly undergo desiccation, but tolerance to hypoxia has so far not been thoroughly investigated in tardigrades. Method: We studied the response to exposure for hypoxia (<1 ppm) during 1-24 h in two tardigrade species, Richtersius cf. coronifer and Hypsibius exemplaris. The animals were exposed to hypoxia in their hydrated active state. Results: Survival was high in both species after the shortest exposures to hypoxia but tended to decline with longer exposures, with almost complete failure to recover after 24 h in hypoxia. R. cf. coronifer tended to be more tolerant than H. exemplaris. When oxygen level was gradually reduced from 8 to 1 ppm, behavioral responses in terms of irregular body movements were first observed at 3-4 ppm. Discussion: The study shows that both limno-terrestrial and freshwater tardigrades are able to recover after exposure to severe hypoxia, but only exposure for relatively short periods of time. It also indicates that tardigrade species have different sensitivity and response patterns to exposure to hypoxia. These results will hopefully encourage more studies on how tardigrades are affected by and respond to hypoxic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - K. Ingemar Jönsson
- Department of Environmental Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
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