Worms revived after 46,000 years in Siberian permafrost

Source: The post is based on the article “Worms revived after 46,000 years in Siberian permafrost”  published in Livemint on 29th July 2023.

What is the News?

Scientists have revived a worm that was frozen 46,000 years ago in Siberian Permafrost.

What did the scientists discover?

In 2018, Scientists from Russia’s Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil had discovered two species of microscopic nematode in Siberian Permafrost.

These worms have been frozen since the late Pleistocene era, which is around 46,000 years ago.

After analyzing the specimens, they’ve claimed at least one is from an entirely new species, which they have called them as Panagrolaimus kolymaenis.

Scientists revived one of the worms by rehydrating them with water and took other worms for further analysis.

How did these worms survive 46,000 years?

Many animals like nematodes, and more famously, tardigrades, can survive extreme conditions by entering a dormant state called “cryptobiosis”.

Organisms in a cryptobiotic state can survive the complete absence of water and oxygen and withstand other extreme conditions including heat and cold in a “state between life and death.” 

The scientists also tested the hardiness of the ancient worms by mildly drying them in the laboratory. When they did that, the worms produced a sugar called trehalose, which might be helping them survive harsh desiccation (drying) and freezing.

What is the significance of this study?

This study increases the longest documented cryptobiosis period in nematodes by tens of thousands of years.

Further, this study also shows how animals can adapt to habitat change caused by climate change at a molecular level and survive despite changing weather patterns.