Exploring an immortal Turritopsis sp. as a less conventional natural system for study of aging

Abstract

Aim: Given its excellent capability of escaping from unavoidable harm and death, Turritopsis sp. (T. sp.) has captured the attention and fascination of scientists as a less conventional tool for aging research. The current study introduces a method for establishment of a research model and comprehensive transcriptomic analysis to reveal the structural and functional diversity of T. sp. Methods: T. sp. medusae collected from the Pacific Ocean near Japan were reared using a common laboratory setting. Tissues of the gastrovascular cavity part (GP) and nerve ring part (NP) were collected, and total RNA was extracted. Bulk RNA-seq was performed to compare the different transcriptome landscapes between GP and NP. Results: The GP fragment could be utilized for studies related to stress response and systemic senescence, while the NP fragment could be used to explore system rejuvenation, self-repair and regeneration. Conclusions: As a less conventional system for aging research, by employing the most recently developed tools and techniques in the genomic revolution, comprehensive elucidation of the composition, development, and functions of T. sp. enabled us to explore the underlying mechanisms of the response to environmental stress and rejuvenation.

Keywords

• Aging
• Immortal jellyfish
• Regeneration
• RNA-seq
• Turritopsis sp.