Natures wonders: how tardigrades survive (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, September 09, 2022, 16:25 (593 days ago) @ David Turell

Special proteins found:

https://www.sciencealert.com/tardigrades-can-survive-decades-without-water-and-we-final...

"Water is a key ingredient to all life on Earth, yet tardigrades with their near immortal-like powers can somehow endure being sapped of almost all their H2O.

"Now, researchers have discovered another trick these chubby microscopic anomalies use to survive years of extreme dehydration.

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"'After testing several different kinds, we have found that cytoplasmic-abundant heat soluble (CAHS) proteins, unique to tardigrades, are responsible for protecting their cells against dehydration," Kunieda explains.

"Using experiments in human and insect cells, the researchers were able to demonstrate CAHS proteins increase cell stiffness, buttressing the cell against shrinkage caused by lost water pressure. The proteins even protected cells against too much water pressure as well.

***

"...in dehydrated cells CAHS proteins link together to form spiderwebs of supporting filaments, providing an on-demand transition to this filament-filled, gel-like phase.

"The cytoskeleton-like structures protect the cell against being completely distorted by the lack of water pressures and likely contribute to the incredible stability of tuns.

"Called anhydrobiosis, this process can be reversed, allowing the tardigrades to pick up their lives where they left off, once more hydrating conditions return."

Comment: at the multicellular level, the most extremophile of all.