Mitochondrial alternative oxidase contributes to successful tardigrade anhydrobiosis.

ABSTRACT: Anhydrobiosis can be described as an adaptation to lack of water that enables some organisms, including tardigrades, to survive extreme conditions, even some that do not exist on Earth. The cellular mechanisms underlying anhydrobiosis are still not completely explained including the putative contribution of mitochondrial proteins. Since mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX), described as a drought response element in plants, was recently proposed for various invertebrates including tardigrades, we investigated whether AOX is involved in successful anhydrobiosis of tardigrades. Milnesium inceptum was used as a model for the study. We confirmed functionality of M. inceptum AOX and estimated its contribution to the tardigrade revival after anhydrobiosis of different durations. We observed t

SUBMITTER: Wojciechowska D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8015188 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature