Resilient Water Bears Have Unique Protein that Protect Them from Decades of Dehydration

According to research, tardigrades, also known as water bears, have a special kind of protein in their cells that guards against dehydration.

The water bears, also known as tardigrades, were known for their ability to endure harsh conditions. In addition, recent research conducted by researchers at the University of Tokyo suggests that tardigrades can endure even severe dehydration.

It indicates that they can survive without water.

Gel Proteins

As suggested, the researchers looked at the gel proteins that water bears or tardigrades yield when they become dehydrated. As a result, it was discovered in the study how tardigrades shield themselves from radiation using fluorescent shields and DNA clouds.

Takekazu Kunieda, an Associate Professor from the University of Tokyo's Department of Biological Sciences, said that even though water is necessary for all life as we know it, some tardigrades can survive without it for long periods. The key lies in how their cells respond to this stress as a result of the dehydration process.

He further explained that it is hypothesized that a protein must help a cell maintain physical stamina to prevent collapsing in on itself as water leaves the cell. His team has discovered that tardigrade-specific cytoplasmic-abundant heat soluble (CAHS) proteins are in charge of guarding their cells against dehydration after testing several different kinds.

No Stress

According to this theory, the CAHS proteins start acting when the cell that contains the proteins becomes dehydrated. CAHS proteins form filaments that look similar to gels.

The filaments gradually vanish when the tardigrade cells rehydrate at a rate that will not put the cell under excessive strain because the process is reversible. It's interesting to note that the proteins kept functioning the same way even after being taken out of the tardigrade cells.

Akihiro Tanaka, the lead author of the study and a graduate student in the lab, said that there were some interesting difficulties in examining the behavior of CAHS proteins in human and insect cells.

Tanaka pointed out that, for starters, the team had to stain the proteins for them to be visible under microscopes. However, the typical staining method requires solutions containing water, which confounds any experiment where water concentration is a factor one seeks to control. So the team turned to a methanol-based solution, which got them right around the problem.

Fascinating

Kunieda said that we should investigate previously unseen mechanisms and structures in light of the variety of habitats some species can endure. This area is a treasure trove for biologists.

He later added that the world of tardigrades is fascinating in every way.

Kunieda and his team will sort through more than 300 additional protein subtypes, some of which probably play a role in the achievement of a higher level for life preservation and protection of these tiny water bears, Interesting Engineering reports.