Mitochondrial remodeling and metabolic reprogramming drive long-term salinity adaptation in <i>Tetrahymena thermophila</i>.

ABSTRACT: Salinization of inland waters, driven by climate change and human activities, poses a major threat to aquatic ecosystems. While species can swiftly adapt to environmental stress, the molecular mechanisms underpinning this adaptation remain to be fully elucidated. This study seeks to clarify the complex adaptive strategies employed by the freshwater ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila in response to chronic salt stress through the methodologies of experimental evolution and multi-omics integration. The findings indicate that three lineages adapted to salt (ST-4, ST-8, and ST-12), which evolved under a regime of increasing NaCl concentration, demonstrated a trade-off between delayed growth and osmotic resilience. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed key evolutionary priorities,

SUBMITTER: Yuan F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12911363 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature