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Cold Adaptation

All articles tagged with #cold adaptation

science2 years ago

"Unfreezing the Mystery: How Antarctic Octopuses Brave Earth's Coldest Ocean"

Antarctic octopuses, specifically of the genus Pareledone, have been found to survive in the coldest waters on Earth by using their three hearts to pump a special type of blue blood around their bodies, supplying oxygen to tissues even in super-cold environments. These octopuses also possess "cold-adapted" enzymes that allow them to function at lower temperatures. Researchers have discovered that mutations in the amino acid sequence of a specific enzyme, the sodium-potassium pump, provide resistance to the cold and enable the pump to continue working at near-freezing temperatures. Further research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms behind these adaptations.