HAINAN ISLAND — Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences published findings on deep-sea isopods on June 5 in the journal Cell. The research detailed mechanisms related to starvation resistance and bacterial gene acquisition in Bathynomus jamesi.

Specimens of Bathynomus jamesi were captured with a submersible vehicle near Hainan Island, China. The research team compared these deep-sea isopods with a smaller species found at 300 meters deep and another smaller species from the shoreline.

The genetic code of the deep-sea isopods includes copies of ND1, a metabolic gene originally from a bacterium. This ND1 gene entered an ancestral isopod's genetic instructions more than 16 million years ago. Engineering fish to incorporate the ND1 gene increased their starvation survival rate by 37 percent in cold conditions.

Jianbo Yuan, a marine biologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Qingdao, described the findings. "That is truly remarkable." Yuan said. He added, "The results turned out to be even more surprising than we had imagined."

Bathynomus isopods can reach lengths of nearly half a meter. Some captive giant isopods have survived more than five years without eating. The stomach of the giant deep-sea isopod occupies up to two-thirds of its body cavity. "[The isopods] also acquire and domesticate genes from microbes," said Yang Li, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Why It Matters

The research provides information on the biological adaptations of deep-sea isopods, specifically focusing on their ability to resist starvation and integrate bacterial genes. The discovery of the ND1 gene's role in starvation survival and its ancient integration into the isopod genome offers insight into how these deep-sea creatures adapt to environments with limited food sources. The findings from the Chinese Academy of Sciences contribute to the understanding of genetic transfer mechanisms between bacteria and marine organisms. The study highlights the unique evolutionary path of Bathynomus jamesi in the deep ocean.