Project description
Cross-generational epigenetic memory of stress in tardigrades
Tardigrades – microscopic animals capable of surviving extreme stresses including desiccation, near-absolute-zero temperatures, and cosmic radiation – represent nature’s ultimate survivors. Two fundamental questions are whether repeated stress exposure improves tolerance in offspring and whether epigenetic mechanisms underlie such transgenerational memory. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the INHERIT project will test whether tardigrades possess stress memory mediated by epigenetic modifications of histone proteins that modulate gene expression. Combining cutting-edge epigenomics with experimental physiology, the project will map the first chromatin landscape of tardigrades and identify histone modifiers mediating both acute and inherited stress acclimation. These insights could illuminate fundamental principles of stress resilience, with implications for biotechnology and engineered stress-tolerant systems.
Objective
Tardigrades are microscopic invertebrate animals renowned for surviving extreme stresses such as desiccation, cooling to milli-kelvin temperatures, and even cosmic radiation. They owe their resilience partly to cryptobiosis, a reversible state of extreme dormancy. Two major gaps in our knowledge of tardigrades include: whether repeated stress exposure improves tolerance across generations, and whether epigenetic mechanisms underlie such effects. Our preliminary transcriptomic data from heat-stressed Ramazzottius varieornatus revealed differential expression of histone-modifying enzymes, suggesting chromatin-level regulation in stress responses.
The INHERIT (INvestigating Heritable Epigenetic Regulation In Tardigrades) project tests the hypothesis that transgenerational stress memory exists in tardigrades and is mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, particularly histone post-translational modifications (HPTMs) influencing chromatin accessibility and gene expression. Using Hypsibius exemplaris as a model, we will: (i) assess whether repeated or parental heat stress enhances survival and recovery within and across generations (WP1); (ii) perform genome-wide profiling of HPTMs (ChIP-seq) and chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq) alongside transcriptomics (RNA-seq) to identify molecular components (WP2); and (iii) functionally validate candidate histone modifiers via chemical inhibition and RNAi (WP3).
We expect to demonstrate transgenerational stress memory in tardigrades, generate the first chromatin landscape mapping for this phylum, and identify key histone modifiers mediating acute and inherited acclimation. By combining cutting-edge epigenomics with experimental physiology, this project is a pioneering research in transgenerational studies in tardigrades, offering insights with implications for biology, biotechnology, and stress-resilient systems.
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- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark
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