# Identification and analysis of novel tardigrade stress response mechanisms

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $65,310

## Abstract

Abstract
 Cellular stability is essential for surviving extreme environments. Some cells and organisms can survive in
environments even in which their constituent parts are not stable, suggesting that cellular protectants must
exist that allow for survival in these contexts. Such protectants have the potential to be utilized for biomedical
applications like stabilizing sensitive biological materials, and the mechanisms by which they function are of
fundamental biological interest. Aim 1 of this proposal seeks to identify cellular protectants in tardigrades.
Tardigrades are invertebrates that can withstand a remarkable variety of environmental stresses including
desiccation, freezing, radiation, high pressure, and even the vacuum of space. Previous work has identified a
limited number of tardigrade protectant proteins, and remarkably these proteins can confer resistance to
desiccation in bacteria and yeast and enhanced radiotolerance in human cells. These studies lay the
groundwork to screen for novel tardigrade stress protectant proteins. Protectants of interest identified from this
screen will also be expressed in human cell culture in order to study mechanisms by which cellular stability is
established, and to identify proteins that are strong candidates for improving stability of biological samples. The
second aim of this proposal is to uncover genetic regulation of diapause – a state of suspended development
and increased stress resistance – in tardigrades. The pathways that control diapause may also regulate
production of stress protectants. Therefore, identification of conserved cell signaling pathways required for
diapause will inform future studies searching for protectants. Completion of this work will lead to identification
of novel protectant molecules and mechanisms of stress resistance that may prove useful for applications like
storage of biomaterials.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9893713
- **Project number:** 5F32GM131577-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Jonathan Hibshman
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $65,310
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9893713

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9893713, Identification and analysis of novel tardigrade stress response mechanisms (5F32GM131577-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9893713. Licensed CC0.

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