![]() |
T. adhaerens By Fortunato et al. 2021. PLOS Biol e3001471 CC BY 4.0 |
This episode: Simple microscopic animals can survive extreme radiation by ejecting damaged cells that might otherwise become cancer!
Download Episode (7.3 MB, 9.2 minutes)
Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Helleborus net necrosis virus
However, cancer has never yet been observed in certain organisms, including the simple microscopic animal Trichoplax adhaerens. In this study, these animals are exposed to large amounts of radiation and then observed over years to see if they can develop cancer or have interesting mechanisms of resisting it.
Fortunato A, Fleming A, Aktipis A, Maley CC. 2021. Upregulation of DNA repair genes and cell extrusion underpin the remarkable radiation resistance of Trichoplax adhaerens. PLOS Biol 19:e3001471.
Other interesting stories:
Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!