Ultrastructural analysis of the dehydrated tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris unveils an anhydrobiotic-specific architecture.

ABSTRACT: Tardigrades can cope with adverse environmental conditions by turning into anhydrobiotes with a characteristic tun shape. Tun formation is an essential morphological adaptation for tardigrade entry into the anhydrobiotic state. The tun cell structure and ultrastructure have rarely been explored in tardigrades in general and never in Hypsibius exemplaris. We used transmission electron microscopy to compare cellular organization and ultrastructures between hydrated and anhydrobiotic H. exemplaris. Despite a globally similar cell organelle structure and a number of cells not significantly different between hydrated and desiccated tardigrades, reductions in the sizes of both cells and mitochondria were detected in dehydrated animals. Moreover, in anhydrobiotes, secretory active cells with a de

SUBMITTER: Richaud M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7062702 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature