Tardigrades:
A team of researchers has identified the genetic mechanisms that help a newly discovered species of tardigrades (Hypsibius henanensis) withstand high levels of radiation.
- These are known as water bears or moss piglets, tardigrades have long fascinated scientists as they can withstand extreme conditions.
- They are free-living tiny invertebrates belonging to the phylum Tardigrada.
- Around 1,300 species of tardigrades are found worldwide.
- They are considered aquaticbecause they require a thin layer of water around their bodies to prevent dehydration, they’ve also been observed in all kinds of environments, from the deep sea to sand dunes.
- Freshwater mosses and lichens are their preferred habitat, hence their nickname, moss piglet.
- Researchers found three factors that help this species survive radiation.
- It has ability to quickly repair double-strand breaks in DNA due to radiation exposure, by using a protein called TRID1.
- The second factor involved a gene that was switched on during exposure to radiation, resulting in the generation of two proteins that are known to be important for mitochondrial synthesis of ATP—in tardigrades, it appears they also help with DNA repair.
- It has ability to minimize damage from radiation by producing a large number of proteins that serve as effective antioxidants—they clear out free radicals before they can cause problems in the creature’s cells.
- The findings could one day be harnessed to help protect astronauts from radiation during space missions, clean up nuclear pollution or improve cancer treatment, according to a report in Nature.
