This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: 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. Hydra oligactis is a fascinating animal: Not only is it immortal under its optimal temperature and feeding conditions, but it can also completely switch its reproductive mechanism in "emergencies." When faced with environmental stress, such as cold temperatures, it switches to sexual reproduction and produces sperm or eggs—presumably an adaptation to the conditions in high-alpine lakes.
This is because the resilient embryos can survive even colder temperatures. However, the parent animals lose their immortality in the process, which is a unique feature within the genus Hydra. Hydras of other Hydra species do not age, even under stress or during sexual reproduction.
As part of the ARDRE doctoral program, a team led by biologists Nicki Marami-Zonouz and Ilse Kranner has now investigated what happens during this cold-induced aging process by analyzing the metabolic products of hydras. The study is published in the journal Aging Cell. Overall, a clear biochemical fingerprint of aging emerged, as evidenced by the hydra's metabolic profile.
Some metabolic products increased steadily during the aging process, others decreased steadily, and still others peaked when the animals reached sexual maturity. There were clear differences between male and female animals—a fact that the study authors particularly emphasized, since data on female metabolism are still underrepresented in biomedical studies. Another striking finding was the decline in taurine—an aminosulfonic acid that is also essential for humans—as the hydras aged.
Taurine supplementation, however, triggered an "anti-aging process" in the hydras that reversed the transition to sexual reproduction. The findings on Hydra oligactis thus fit into the broader picture of aging research. It has already been shown in mammals that taurine levels decline with age and that supplementation can extend healthy lifespan.
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