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If you ever wondered how they survive the pressure, from wikipedia: TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide) is found in the tissues of marine crustaceans and marine fish
by nntwozz 4y ago
If you ever wondered how they survive the pressure, from wikipedia:
TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide) is found in the tissues of marine crustaceans and marine fish, where it prevents water pressure from distorting proteins and thus killing the animal. The concentration of TMAO increases with the depth at which the animal lives; TMAO is found in high concentrations in the deepest-living described fish species, Pseudoliparis swirei, which was found in the Mariana Trench, at a recorded depth of 8,076 m (26,496 ft).
- dmix 4y agoNeat, the wiki for that fish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoliparis_swirei https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoliparis_swirei > Compared to shallow-water snailfish, Pseudoliparis swirei has several unusual adaptions for its dark and high pressure habitat, including transparent skin that lacks pigment, certain organs and eggs that are enlarged, the muscles are thinner, the ossification of its bones (notably the skull) is incomplete, it appears to have little or no ability to see, there are mechanisms that allow proteins in its body to still function, and differences in the cell membranes for maintaining their flexibility.
- undersolved5 4y ago[flagged]
- transcriptase 4y agoAn interesting case of evolution. In theory the first populations to become fixed for an allele or allelic combination that results in even a small increase in TMAO would be able to access previously untouched feeding grounds and flourish for some time.
- another2another 4y agoProbably also avoid predators, since they seem to be pretty much by themselves down there.
- crazygringo 4y agoFun fact: the (in)famous Icelandic "rotted shark" (hákarl) food is rotted/fermented in order to remove the toxic TMAO (and urea): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A1karl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A1karl
- Mistletoe 4y ago>Chef Anthony Bourdain described fermented shark as "the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing" he had ever eaten.[2] Ok that’s saying something.
- ldhough 4y agoI tried a ~1x1cm cube of it when I was in Iceland... that assessment is pretty spot-on.
- Kaibeezy 4y agoSo what’s natto’s excuse?
- fallingknife 4y agoIs this why they expect this fish is near the depth limit? Does this mechanism stop working at higher pressures?
- fwlr 4y agoYeah, the cited depth limit of ~8.5km appears to be based on “fish use an osmolyte called TMAO to protect their proteins from pressure, and below 8.5km the concentration of TMAO required is so high that it inhibits cell function”. Apparently crustaceans get deeper by using five different osmolytes at once instead of relying on TMAO. (Info from helpful comment by mytailorisrich in this thread https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35403838 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35403838)
- kseistrup 4y agoSo in theory fish could adapt to life at greater depths by “learning” to produce more than one osmolyte.