New Research Ice worms shed light on survival in cold environments Archived article from Jan 23, 2006

Credit: Addison Geary Brrr! Camden biologist Daniel Shain is studying ways for animals to adapt and survive in cold environments. He is examining the mechanisms that ice worms use to thrive in glaciers. Research under way in Camden may help humans to keep their energy levels up in cold climates. Daniel Shain, an associate professor of biology, and Brittany Morrison, a graduate student of biology, are pinpointing the mechanism that allows ice worms to thrive in glaciers, among the Earth's coldest locales. Just as it’s more difficult to start a car during the winter months, it’s harder for animals and humans alike to stay peppy in cold weather. Shain reasoned that if creatures can live on ice, they must produce energy in a unique way. He discovered that ice worms produce more ATP – a universal energy molecule – in low temperatures. By isolating genes and examining biochemical pathways in the glacial organisms, the research team hopes to identify the mechanism that allows these creatures to adapt to extreme conditions. NASA, which provided funding for the study, is interested in Shain’s research for other environments in the solar system, namely two of Jupiter’s moons, Europa and Callisto. Shain also foresees improvements in organ transplantation. Donated organs currently have a brief window of about 24 hours to be transplanted into patients, and Shain’s research on cold temperature adaptation could extend that window.

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