Science & Environment
Hydra loses its immortality after cold triggers switch to sexual reproduction
Source: Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories · Published
The freshwater polyp Hydra oligactis is essentially immortal and reproduces asexually by cloning itself. Except when it gets too cold: then the animal switches to sexual reproduction, begins to age, and eventually dies. A research team at the University of Innsbruck has now inves
The freshwater polyp Hydra oligactis is essentially immortal and reproduces asexually by cloning itself. Except when it gets too cold: then the animal switches to sexual reproduction, begins to age, and eventually dies. A research team at the University of Innsbruck has now investigated the metabolic changes that accompany this process.
One of the findings: the aging process is accompanied by a sharp decline in taurine.
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