• Search Research Projects
  • Search Researchers
  • How to Use
  1. Back to previous page

Tolerance of the Antarctic tardigrade living through the extreme environment

Research Project

Project/Area Number 18K14800
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Review Section Basic Section 45040:Ecology and environment-related
Research InstitutionKeio University (2019-2022)
National Institute of Polar Research (2018)

Principal Investigator

TSUJIMOTO Megumu  慶應義塾大学, 環境情報学部(藤沢), 講師 (90634650)

Project Period (FY) 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000)
Keywordsクマムシ / 南極 / 極限環境 / 耐性 / クリプトビオシス / 繁殖 / 生存戦略 / 生態
Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we focused on the tolerant ability of the Antarctic tardigrades which survive through the extreme environment of the Antarctica from an ecological point of view. Using the strain of the species endemic to Antarctica, the ability of the species tolerant to the environmental stresses, as well as the recovery condition after survival was examined. Transcriptome analysis was also conducted in order to understand the response of this species toward the environmental stresses at the molecular level. The intensity and the length of the environmental stresses were determined from the micro-climate data obtained at the actual habitat of this Antarctic tardigrade species. Analysing the experimental data along with the environmental data, we were able to understand the survival strategy of the Antarctic tardigrades.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでは極端な極限環境耐性能力の機構や機序の解明が中心となっていたクマムシの耐性研究分野のなかで、生き物の持つ生態としての耐性機構に迫ったことで、これまでにはなかった新しい視点を加えることができた。また、実際に南極の過酷な陸上環境を生き抜くための生存戦略としての耐性機構を調べるなかで、環境ストレスに対する防御・耐性反応として、必ずしも体内の分子レベルの制御に頼らない戦略をとっている可能性も考えられたことは、最強動物として知られるクマムシ研究に新たな展開を示すことができた。

Report

(6 results)
  • 2022 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2021 Research-status Report
  • 2020 Research-status Report
  • 2019 Research-status Report
  • 2018 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (4 results)

All 2020 2018

All Journal Article (1 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 1 results,  Open Access: 1 results) Presentation (3 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 2 results,  Invited: 1 results)

  • [Journal Article] Reproductive performance of the Antarctic tardigrades Acutuncus antarcticus (Eutardigrada: Hypsibiidae) revived after being frozen for over 30 years and of their offspring2020

    • Author(s)
      Tsujimoto M, Kagoshima H, Kanda H, Watanabe K, Imura S
    • Journal Title

      Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

      Volume: 188 Issue: 3 Pages: 839-847

    • DOI

      10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz137

    • Related Report
      2019 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Presentation] 南極に生きるクマムシの繁殖戦略と長期生存能力2020

    • Author(s)
      辻本 惠
    • Organizer
      極限環境生物学会 第21回シンポジウム
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Reproductive performance of individuals of an Antarctic tardigrade revived after being frozen for over 30 years, and of their offspring2018

    • Author(s)
      Tsujimoto M, Kanda H, Imura S.
    • Organizer
      14th International Symposium on Tardigrada
    • Related Report
      2018 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Tardigrade diversity around Syowa Station, Dronning Maud Land in East Antarctica2018

    • Author(s)
      Tsujimoto M, Suzuki AC, Nakai R, Imura S.
    • Organizer
      7th Symposium on Polar Science
    • Related Report
      2018 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research

URL: 

Published: 2018-04-23   Modified: 2024-01-30  

Information User Guide FAQ News Terms of Use Attribution of KAKENHI

Powered by NII kakenhi