University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have discovered that tardigrades – microscopic animals famed for surviving harsh extremes – have an unusual response to radiation.
Tardigrades
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report, Tardigrades
Long-Term Survivability of Tardigrade Paramacrobiotus experimentalis (Eutardigrada)at Increased Magnesium Perchlorate Levels: Implications for Astrobiological Research
Perchlorate salts, including magnesium perchlorate, are highly toxic compounds that occur on Mars at levels far surpassing those on Earth and pose a significant challenge to the survival of life […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Commercial & Private Sector, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Press Release, Tardigrades
Astrobiology Spinoff? Introduced Tardigrade Proteins Can Slow Metabolism In Human Cells
Editor’s note: although NASA did not sponsor research wherein tardigrade proteins were tested in human cells to see if they work – someone did. This emerged as the result of […]
![AlphaFold structures of NLS-containing proteins. AlphaFold2 structures modeled from NLS-predicted proteins that had no SwissProt BLASTP hits (E-value < 1e-15). [AB] Structures for those that had a FoldSeek hit against the AlphaFold2 SwissProt database (E-value < 1E-05). The yellow and blue structures indicate the reference and the predicted H. exemplaris protein structures, respectively. [A] BV898_05254.p01 (5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1E (AF-Q6VB83-F1-model_v4.pdb E-value = 6.22E-12, RMSD between 163 pruned atom pairs is 1.124 angstroms across all 353 pairs: 10.861) [B] Ecdysone-induced protein 78C (AF-P45447-F1-model_v4 E26 value 4.48E-08, RMSD between 84 pruned atom pairs is 1.044 angstroms; across all 391 pairs: 32.283) [C-F] Transcripts that had an IUPRED3 score of 1.0 [C] BV898_03773.p01, [D] BV898_07132.p01 [E] BV898_12866.p01 [F] BV898_18010.p01. -- biorxiv.org](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Transcriptome-analysis-1.png?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Posted inBiophysics, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Panspermia, Radiation, Status Report, Tardigrades
Transcriptome Analysis Of The Tardigrade Hypsibius Exemplaris Exposed To The DNA-damaging Agent Bleomycin
Tardigrades are microscopic animals that are renowned for their capabilities of tolerating near-complete desiccation by entering an ametabolic state called anhydrobiosis.
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Radiation, Status Report, Tardigrades
Tardigrade Genomes Reveal The Secrets Of Extreme Survival
Tardigrades may be nature’s ultimate survivors. While these tiny, nearly translucent animals are easily overlooked, they represent a diverse group that has successfully colonized freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments on […]
Posted inBiophysics, Cryobiology, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Tardigrades
Molecular Sensor Enables Water Bear Hardiness By Triggering Dormancy
Tardigrades – hardy, microscopic animals commonly known as “water bears” – use a molecular sensor that detects harmful conditions in their environment, telling them when to go dormant and when […]
Posted inExtremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Tardigrades
Denmark Is Crawling With Earth’s Most Resilient Creature: Tardigrades
They’re found on Mount Everest, in the deep seas, aboard the International Space Station and thousands of them have even crash landed and been spilled onto the moon. The microscopic […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Cryobiology, Science Fiction, Space Physiology & Medicine, Tardigrades
A Step Toward Human Hibernation On Deep Space Missions? Induction Of A torpor-like State With Ultrasound
Editor’s note: As we start to move off-world on longer space missions, the issue of crew health, food, life support, and overall safety becomes a pressing issue. If you can […]
Posted inCryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microgravity, Status Report, Tardigrades
Comparative Ultrastructure Study Of Tardigrade Ramazzottius Varieornatus Hydrated State, After Desiccation, And During Rehydration
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 […]
Posted inCryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Press Release, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Tardigrades
Astrobiology Spinoff: NASA Funded Research Used Tardigrade Proteins To Make A Human Health Breakthrough
University of Wyoming researchers’ study of how microscopic creatures called tardigrades survive extreme conditions has led to a major breakthrough that could eventually make life-saving treatments available to people where […]