The Researchers found the world's only animal that doesn't need oxygen for survival. It appeared to be a common parasite of salmon. A study published in the journal , showed that the parasite Henneguya salminicola do not require breathing to survive — it is a revelation that can change the way we understand life on Earth and beyond. The study's authors write that a multicellular organism, which is part of a group of animals closely related to jellyfish, known as Myxozoa, does not breathe and has no mitochondrial DNA. But how is this possible?
This is the first multicellular animal found in the wild in the DNA where no genes responsible for respiration. According to the results, have lost "the ability to perform aerobic cellular respiration." Earlier in the 2010 study, scientists have suggested that kind of loricifera, other microscopic animals that can survive without oxygen, though, according to this discovery was not fully confirmed.
What would be surprising not seemed to us this discovery, Henneguya salminicola — a fairly common organism on salmon and provocative of the disease. Some diseases lead to the appearance of unsightly cysts in the meat of salmon, but usually harmless to humans and most fish. As Henneguya salminicola is a parasite inside the fish, this tiny creature have evolved to survive in conditions in which oxygen supply is irregular. As the authors of the study, virtually all multicellular organisms, including plants and fungi, cannot survive without oxygen. And Henneguya salminicola in the course of evolution not only lost some genes that are directly related to aerobic respiration, but also invented a method of oxygen-free breakdown of essential nutrients.
it looks like the meat of salmon infected with Henneguya salminicola
As said study co-author Dorota Uson, an evolutionary biologist from the University of tel Aviv, these tiny parasites lost tissue, nerve cells, muscles and everything else, including the ability to breathe. To date, the question of how Henneguya salminicola have been able to survive without oxygen remains, Researchers believe that the parasite could draw energy from his master.
The Whole set of genes associated with mitochondrial function in — organelles the size of bacteria — the parasite Henneguya salminicola is completely absent. Instead, the animal relies on a chain of genes, by which he is able to split the required sugar without enzymes from mitochondria as it does in other organisms. However, how exactly does the metabolism of this truly unique organism, scientists have yet to learn.
the Researchers found that in the course of its evolutionary process, the animal was able to survive due to the elimination of genes associated with oxygen breathing
And yet, something interesting about Henneguya salminicola scientists can tell today. So, it is revealed the parasite gene set is unique — it is quite similar to those DNA sequences which are characteristic of eukaryotes — the kind of organisms that consist of several cells — and other organisms that are not needed . Scientists hope that further study of the parasite of salmon will not only create drugs that can rid the fish of parasites, but will also help us to learn more about a completely unknown forms of life.
looks like Henneguya salminicola
Recommended
Can genes create the perfect diet for you?
Diet on genotype can be a way out for many, but it still has a lot of questions Don't know what to do to lose weight? DNA tests promise to help you with this. They will be able to develop the most individual diet, because for this they will use the m...
How many extraterrestrial civilizations can exist nearby?
If aliens exist, why don't we "hear" them? In the 12th episode of Cosmos, which aired on December 14, 1980, co-author and host Carl Sagan introduced viewers to the same equation of astronomer Frank Drake. Using it, he calculated the potential number ...
Why does the most poisonous plant in the world cause severe pain?
The pain caused to humans by the Gimpi-gympie plant can drive him crazy Many people consider Australia a very dangerous place full of poisonous creatures. And this is a perfectly correct idea, because this continent literally wants to kill everyone w...
Related News
Any alcohol can be consumed during the diet?
Although the dangers of alcohol has long been known, scientists have long been convinced that a small dose of some varieties of wine can be good for the cardiovascular system, but also to reduce weight in time . In rebuttal to thi...
Fossils from one of the oldest weeds, the age of more than one billion years
the Days when scientists used weak by today's standards the computers are long gone. Today at the disposal of researchers there are powerful computers, microscopes and other modern equipment, so there is nothing surprising in the ...
How much snow has melted due to record high temperatures in Antarctica?
has long been considered the coldest place on our planet, but now it is this can not be called. It is believed that the average temperature at the snow-covered continent should be approximately -57 degrees Celsius. However, on 6 ...
How whales change the old skin for a new one?
Whales are among the largest animals on our planet, because the length of their body is usually about 25 meters and weight up to 90 tons. Despite the fact that these mammals are known since very ancient times and even mentioned in...
Love of people can be identified by gait
In the world there are billions of people with different personalities, world views and Hobbies. We are constantly interacting with each other, and from time to time during communication, create a friendly and even . With all this...
Duration 40 centuries flourished and developed one of the most powerful civilizations of the ancient world, which originated long before our era. The history of development has had a significant impact on the subsequent developmen...
Can recover forests after fires?
Some of the oldest rainforests in the world located in the North of the Australian state of New South Wales. Once upon a time, these dry forests covered the giant supercontinent of Gondwana, became in time home to evolutionarily u...
A third of the animals on Earth can disappear in 50 years, scientists have found
the Anthropogenic factor has a huge impact on the environment. Today, researchers around the world agree that the rapid human-induced. The problem, as you know, is to raise temperatures. Today, under the threat of extinction is a ...
The death of a pet can cause more suffering than the loss of a friend or close relative
Researchers have confirmed what we already knew — grief for the loss of a pet is comparable to the loss of a loved one, and sometimes can be more traumatic. Scientists believe that our attitude to the loss of Pets has change...
Scientists have found that rats are capable of mutual help
People have been avoiding the rats always. Moreover, associating them with a variety of dangerous diseases, man has tried to place their home away from these thieving animals. Only in the end of 19th century man looked at his youn...
Ventilation does not help to clean the air from harmful substances
the Air in homes, offices and many other areas can not be called clean. All because when using and cooking spaces are filled with chemicals that can be harmful to human health. Many people believe that to get rid of them just by o...
In remote lakes of Russia found a new species of fish
On our planet is quite a lot of places that had not gone before. There is a large probability that those parts of the Earth inhabited by living beings that still remain . Recently this assumption has been proved by Russian biologi...
Coral reefs may completely disappear in the year 2100
Regular readers of our site surely aware of the fact that seas and oceans can no longer provide animals and plants the ideal conditions for life and growth. This is because ocean water is rapidly polluted with plastic wastes are h...
What our ancestors ate? Discovered the remnants of food left by the age of 65 thousand years
what do you think ate human ancestors thousands of years ago? Today we know the exact answer to this question, as scientists have discovered the charred remains of different plant foods in Northern Australia. The age of the finds ...
The burial of Neanderthals makes them much more human than we previously believed
Neanderthals — extinct members of the genus Homo Sapiens, whose species has completely disappeared under unknown circumstances about 40 thousand years ago. Despite the fact that Neanderthals went on his own path of developme...
Anti-social behavior is "imprinted" in the brain
According to statistics, every fourth person at least once in childhood and adolescence shows samples of antisocial behaviour. As they grow older most people grow out of this behavior, however for approximately 10% of the populati...
What is "ice volcanoes" and where do they occur?
Probably each of us had a chance to see the amazing natural phenomena like heavy rains and hurricanes. But under certain climatic conditions nature has to show us even more amazing spectacle like in deciduous forests and lakes for...
160 years ago, the average human body temperature was higher than today
Today, about 37°C is considered normal. However, the normal temperature of the human body can fluctuate by a few degrees. Factors such as age, environment, weight, height, gender and even time of day play a role in the readings of...
Found the best way to save water while taking a shower
Every person is very important to observe personal hygiene, because of being constantly dirty, you can catch a dangerous infectious disease. Commendable, if you develop the habit of daily walk-in shower, but many people stay there...
On the Great Barrier Reef discovered the most unusual scat. What makes it so special?
On our planet exists , the existence of which some people do not even know. For example, in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans is inhabited by a huge creature known as the manta ray, or "giant sea devils". The body length of ...
Comments (0)
This article has no comment, be the first!