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Extreme-tolerance mechanisms in meiofaunal organisms: a case study with tardigrades, rotifers and nematodes

  • MEIOFAUNA IN FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
  • Review Paper
  • Published:
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Abstract

To persist in extreme environments, some meiofaunal taxa have adopted outstanding resistance strategies. Recent years have seen increased enthusiasm for understanding extreme-resistance mechanisms evolved by tardigrades, nematodes and rotifers, such as the capability to tolerate complete desiccation and freezing by entering a state of reversible suspension of metabolism called anhydrobiosis and cryobiosis, respectively. In contrast, the less common phenomenon of diapause, which includes encystment and cyclomorphosis, is defined by a suspension of growth and development with a reduction in metabolic activity induced by stressful environmental conditions. Because of their unique resistance, tardigrades and rotifers have been proposed as model organisms in the fields of exobiology and space research. They are also increasingly considered in medical research with the hope that their resistance mechanisms could be used to improve the tolerance of human cells to extreme stress. This review will analyse the dormancy strategies in tardigrades, rotifers and nematodes with emphasis on mechanisms of extreme stress tolerance to identify convergent and unique strategies occurring in these distinct groups. We also examine the ecological and evolutionary consequences of extreme tolerance by summarizing recent advances in this field.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Prof. Giulio Melone (University of Milan, Italy) and Dr. Diego Fontaneto (National Research Council of Italy, Italy) for pictures on rotifers, and Dr. Edoardo Massa (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy) for the editing of all pictures. Finally, we thank the reviewers for their helpful suggestions which improved the quality of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences, Modena and Reggio Emilia University, Modena, Italy

    Lorena Rebecchi

  2. School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK

    Chiara Boschetti

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA

    Diane R. Nelson

  4. Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 213/D, 41125, Modena, Italy

    Lorena Rebecchi

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  1. Lorena Rebecchi
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Correspondence to Lorena Rebecchi.

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Rebecchi, L., Boschetti, C. & Nelson, D.R. Extreme-tolerance mechanisms in meiofaunal organisms: a case study with tardigrades, rotifers and nematodes. Hydrobiologia 847, 2779–2799 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-019-04144-6

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