
Tardigrade protein helps human DNA withstand radiation (2016) - oedmarap
https://www.nature.com/news/tardigrade-protein-helps-human-dna-withstand-radiation-1.20648
======
jbb67
I wonder what the cost is. If producing a protein that protects against these
things was without a downside, it seems likely many species would have
selected for it. I feel there must be a downside to it that selects against it
in most organisms.

~~~
MaxBarraclough
Check the first comment on that page
[https://www.nature.com/news/1.20648#comment-2911888136](https://www.nature.com/news/1.20648#comment-2911888136)

> I think that the single most significant property of the adult tardigrade in
> relation to stress resistance is that its somatic cells are eutelic, that
> is, after hatching as an adult, the somatic cells do not divide

Tardigrades are very peculiar in this regard: after hatching, they grow to
adult size not by cellular division (mitosis), but by growing the cells
(hypertrophy).

If that's the key to their ability to withstand radiation (beyond the effects
of 'Dsup'), we humans have no hope of using the same trick.

(Disclaimer: I have no idea what I'm talking about, and haven't read the
paper.)

~~~
wavefunction
I thought eutelic organisms experience mitosis until they reach maturity but
that's coming from Wikipedia so ymmv.

~~~
MaxBarraclough
Well spotted. I think the tardigrade is special even for a eutelic species.
From Wikipedia:

> The eggs hatch after no more than 14 days, with the young already possessing
> their full complement of adult cells. Growth to the adult size therefore
> occurs by enlargement of the individual cells (hypertrophy), rather than by
> cell division.

------
xchaotic
We're finally getting close to discovering the spore drive.

------
ionised
This would make S.T.A.L.K.E.R. a far less interesting game.

