A single tardigrade protein could protect human cells from radiation-here’s how
Scientists have identified a tardigrade protein called Dsup that acts as a shield to protect DNA from radiation damage. Research shows that human cells engineered with this protein exhibit significantly higher resistance to X-ray exposure.
You’ve probably heard of the tardigrade, that microscopic eight-legged critter—basically the teddy bear of the micro-world, if your teddy bear could survive being left on the Moon. Not only do these creatures withstand the icy vacuum of space, bone-crushing pressures, and temperatures that would send a polar bear packing, but they also shrug off doses of radiation that would decimate any other living thing. While a dose of 5 gray would be lethal for humans, certain tardigrade species can endure between 4,000 and 5,000 grays. That isn’t just a difference in scale—it’s a gap of several orders of magnitude.
Get the full story
Sign up for Headlinne to unlock AI insights, political bias analysis, and your personalized news feed.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in