Scientists Unraveling the Mystery , of How Octopuses Edit Their , Genetic Material.
A new study found that octopuses are able to edit their genetic material in order to survive cold temperatures.
'The Independent' reports that octopuses are able to alter their RNA within hours of exposure to cold temperatures.
The team's findings were published in the journal , 'Cell.'.
We could see significant changes in less than a day, and within four days they were at the new steady-state levels that you find them in after a month, Matthew Birk, Marine Biological Laboratory, via 'The Independent'.
While scientists have long known that both squid and octopuses are able to change their genetics, this is the first evidence of how rapidly those changes can take place.
According to co-senior author Eli Eisenberg of Tel-Aviv University, the team found that , “temperature-sensitive editing occurred at about one-third of our sites – over 20,000 individual places.”.
The team of scientists behind the new study believe the findings are just "a tip of the iceberg" when it comes to the sophisticated abilities of octopuses.
The team of scientists behind the new study believe the findings are just "a tip of the iceberg" when it comes to the sophisticated abilities of octopuses.
We’re used to thinking all living things are preprogrammed from birth with a certain set of instructions, Joshua Rosenthal, Marine Biological Laboratory, via 'The Independent'.
The idea the environment can influence that genetic information, as we’ve shown in cephalopods, is a new concept, Joshua Rosenthal, Marine Biological Laboratory, via 'The Independent'
