Kategorie: News
Deep-sea worm uses toxic chemicals for self-defense and survival strategy
A fascinating connection between biology and art history can be found in the deep sea. In the dark, nutrient-poor expanses of the world's oceans, there are places where life flourishes despite the most extreme conditions.
One such place is the deep-sea hot springs, known as hydrothermal vents, which create a unique environment. Here, hot, mineral-rich water with temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius shoots out of the seabed. These areas often contain high concentrations of toxic substances such as arsenic and sulfide, which would be lethal in other habitats.
But surprisingly, creatures have evolved there that cope with this environment using extraordinary strategies. In particular, the approximately 20-millimeter-long deep-sea worm Paralvinella hessleri has developed a fascinating ability to survive. This worm lives in the most inhospitable areas of the hydrothermal vents in the western Pacific and has an amazing detoxification mechanism, which an international team of researchers has now been able to decipher.
Toxic mineral formation due to environmental toxins
The scientists discovered that these worms store large amounts of arsenic in their skin - up to one percent of their body weight. The toxic semimetal combines with the equally toxic sulfide from the water to form small, golden-yellow crystals known as auripigment. This mineral, which occurs naturally mainly in volcanic areas, was already known in ancient times as a yellow coloring agent in art and cosmetics – for example, it was used by famous painters such as Titian to create shimmering effects in paintings.
At first glance, the discovery is surprising: the fact that a living organism stores poison and uses it to survive in a seemingly hostile environment is a remarkable survival strategy. The researchers suspect that auripigment, although toxic, acts as a kind of intermediary in this context: it does not detoxify the animal directly, but binds the arsenic in a form that is less harmful. Similar strategies may also exist in other deep-sea animals, such as snails, which have high concentrations of arsenic in the region.
“This is a fascinating connection between biology and art history,” explains co-author Hao Wang. “The worms use a chemical reaction that has also been used in art to create bright colors, and apply it in the deepest darkness of the oceans.” The study shows how evolutionary adaptations can produce amazing solutions to ensure survivability, even under extreme conditions.
This discovery opens up new insights into the chemical adaptability of marine animals and could also inspire the development of new detoxification methods in medicine or environmental technology in the long term.
Original article: Journal “PLOS Biology”
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003291