Comparative transcriptomics reveal a novel tardigrade-specific DNA-binding protein induced in response to ionizing radiation

Comparative Study of Gamma Radiation Tolerance between Desiccation-Sensitive and Desiccation-Tolerant Tardigrades

Tardigrades are small metazoans renowned for their exceptional tolerance against various harsh environments in a dehydrated state. Some species exhibited an extraordinary tolerance against high-dose irradiation even in a hydrated state. Given that natural sources of high radiation are rare, the selective pressure to obtain such a high radiotolerance during evolution remains elusive. It has been postulated that high radiation tolerances could be derived from adaptation to dehydration, because both dehydration and radiation cause similar damage on biomolecules at least partly, e.g., DNA cleavage and oxidation of various biomolecules, and dehydration is a common environmental stress that terrestrial organisms should adapt to. Although tardigrades are known for high radiotolerance, the radiotolerance records have been reported only for desiccation-tolerant tardigrade species and nothing was known about the radiotolerance in desiccation-sensitive tardigrade species. Hence, the relationship between desiccation-tolerance and radiotolerance remained unexplored. To this end, we examined the radiotolerance of the desiccation-sensitive tardigrade Grevenius myrops (formerly known as Isohypsibius myrops) in comparison to the well-characterized desiccation-tolerant tardigrade, Ramazzottius varieornatus. The median lethal dose (LD50) of G. myrops was approximately 2240 Gy. This was much lower than those reported for desiccation tolerant eutardigrades. The effects of irradiation on the lifespan and the ovipositions were more severe in G. myrops compared to those in R. varieornatus. The present study provides precise records on the radiotolerance of a desiccation-sensitive tardigrade and the current data supported the correlation between desiccation tolerance and radiotolerance at least in eutardigrades.

Surviving extreme radiation

Tiny animals known as tardigrades use a combination of DNA repair machinery and a novel protein to mend their genome after intense ionizing radiation.