DPA
London
Octopuses are able to survive cold temperatures by editing their genetic material in less than a day, scientists have found.
Researchers have discovered that the creatures are able to make changes to their RNA - a complex molecule essential for life – within hours of being exposed to cold water.
Previous studies have shown that squid and octopuses can edit their genes but this is the first time scientists have established how rapidly these changes can occur. The researchers said their new findings, published in the journal Cell, were “a tip of the iceberg” shedding further light on the sophisticated behaviour of octopuses.
The creatures have the ability to perform complex tasks and have been shown to do puzzles like unscrewing a lid on a jar.
They can also mimic colours and textures to camouflage themselves, as well as regrow a lost arm.
For the study, scientists in the US analyzed the behaviour of the California two-spot octopus (Octopus bimaculoides).
Unlike humans, octopuses are not capable of generating their own heat to counteract temperature changes.The researchers acclimatised adult octopuses to warm (22C) or cold (13C) waters in tanks at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Chicago.
