Researchers successfully revived a soil nematode that had been in a dormant state in Siberian permafrost for approximately 46,000 years. Through genome analysis, they discovered that this newly identified nematode species, Panagrolaimus kolymaensis, shares genes related to survival with the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans. Both species showed increased production of the sugar trehalose when mildly desiccated, suggesting its role in surviving harsh conditions like freezing and desiccation.
By subjecting the nematodes to mild desiccation before freezing, the researchers found that their survival rates improved at extremely low temperatures. Furthermore, this treatment also benefited C. elegans, enabling them to survive for an extended period at -80°C with no reduction in viability or reproduction after thawing.
This study showcases the longest reported period of cryptobiosis in nematodes, implying that these organisms have the ability to remain dormant for geological timescales by adapting to extreme environmental conditions like permafrost.
The research findings also indicate that an organism’s ability to stay in a cryptobiotic state might be influenced by environmental fluctuations.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Permafrost
What is the main finding of the research?
The main finding of the research is that researchers successfully revived a soil nematode that had been dormant in Siberian permafrost for about 46,000 years.
What is the name of the revived nematode species?
The revived nematode species is called Panagrolaimus kolymaensis.
What is cryptobiosis?
Cryptobiosis is a dormant state that some animals, including nematodes, can enter to survive harsh conditions like freezing and desiccation.
How does the nematode’s survival relate to C. elegans?
The researchers found that the nematode shares survival-related genes with the model organism C. elegans.
What role does trehalose play in survival?
Both the revived nematode and C. elegans produced increased amounts of trehalose when mildly desiccated, indicating its role in surviving harsh conditions.
How long did the nematodes survive after being revived?
The nematodes survived at extremely low temperatures (-80°C) after being revived, and the study extended the longest reported cryptobiosis in nematodes by tens of thousands of years.
What implications does the research have?
The research suggests that nematodes have the potential to remain dormant over geological timescales by adapting to extreme environmental conditions such as permafrost.
What funding supported this research?
The research was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the Volkswagen Foundation, DFG ENP grant, and a UCD Ad Astra Fellowship.
More about Permafrost
- Scientists Revive 46,000-Year-Old Roundworms From Siberian Permafrost
- Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science RAS
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
- Russian Foundation for Basic Research
- Volkswagen Foundation
- DFG – German Research Foundation
- UCD Ad Astra Fellowship
1 comment
gr8 research, can’t believe these little worms survived all that time in the cold! what a tough life they had, but they mastered cryptobiosis like pros. icy worms rule! ❄️