Microscopic tardigrades have fascinated scientists with their incredible toughness ever since their creation. First discovered in 1773. They can sense when to enter dormancy under harsh conditions. Tardigrades can withstand dangerous levels of radiation, and a surprising mechanism in their DNA may be the reason. When exposed to deadly radiation, the DNA repair process takes a long time to repair the damaged DNA. Here are the findings: The study was published April 12 in the journal current biology.
“What we saw surprised us,” said study co-author Bob Goldstein, a biologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. said in a statement. “The tardigrades are behaving in ways we didn’t expect.”
Among the many dangers of excessive radiation exposure is the potential for damage to DNA. In humans, DNA damage from excessive radiation is associated with: Diseases such as various cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Tardigrades, also known as tardigrades, can withstand incredible amounts of radiation.in 1963, researchers have discovered for the first time that humans can withstand radiation 1,400 times stronger than known to survive. Now, scientists have a glimpse of how the human body corrects radiation damage to its DNA.
[Related: What you need to know about the tardigrade cannon.]
In this new study, the UNC-Chapel Hill team used experimental techniques developed over the past 25 years to identify the internal genetic mechanisms tardigrades use to withstand radiation exposure.they saw something A species of tardigrade called Hypsibius exemplaris People who are not affected by DNA damage caused by radiation. Instead, this type of extensive damage can be repaired. When tardigrade cells are exposed to radiation, they harness the power of hundreds of genes to produce new proteins that are used to repair DNA. These proteins increase the level of DNA repair to a certain level. Study co-author and biologist Courtney Clark Hucktell called it “ridiculous.”
“These animals have an incredible response to radiation, and that seems to be the secret to their extreme survivability,” says Clark-Hucktell. stated in a statement. “What we’re learning about how tardigrades overcome radiation stress could lead to new ideas about how we try to protect other animals and microorganisms from harmful radiation. ”
[Related: We’ve seen how tardigrades walk, and it’s mesmerizing.]
As the UNC-Chapel Hill scientists completed their study, a French team also found similar results in their experiments. Researchers Jean-Paul Concordet and Anne de Chien from the Paris Museum of Natural History, et al. Gamma rays shattered DNA The tardigrade did not die. They also discovered a new tardigrade protein called TRD1 that protects DNA. When this protein is injected into human cells, it appears to help the cells withstand damage. Concorde said new york times This means that even if the chromosome strands begin to unravel, TRD1 may grab the chromosomes and keep them in the correct shape. Understanding these proteins could lead to new treatments for cancer and other medical diseases in which DNA is damaged.
“Any tricks they use could benefit us.” Concorde said. The results of the Concorde survey are Published as a peer-reviewed preprint in a journal e-life In January.
