title: Superoxide Anion Radical Production in the Tardigrade Paramacrobiotus richtersi, the First Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spin-Trapping Study.
abstract: Anhydrobiosis is an adaptive strategy that allows withstanding almost complete body water loss. It has been developed independently by many organisms belonging to different evolutionary lines, including tardigrades. The loss of water during anhydrobiotic processes leads to oxidative stress. To date, the metabolism of free radicals in tardigrades remained unclear. We present a method for in vivo monitoring of free radical production in tardigrades, based on electron paramagnetic resonance and spin-trap DEPMPO, which provides simultaneous identification of various spin adducts (i.e., different types of free radicals). The spin trap can be easily absorbed in animals, and tardigrades stay alive during the measurements and during 24-h monitoring after the treatment. The results show that hydrated specimens of the tardigrade Paramacrobiotus richtersi produce the pure superoxide anion radical ((•)O2(-)). This is an unexpected result, as all previously examined animals and plants produce both superoxide anion radical and hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) or exclusively hydroxyl radical.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava 1, Belgrade, Serbia, and Laboratoire de Spectrochimie Infrarouge et Raman, Centre National de la Recherche, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8516, Université Lille 1, Sciences et Technologies, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France; 2Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213-D, Modena, Italy; 3Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 3, Novi Sad, Serbia; 4Faculty of Physical Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 12-16, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Aleksandar G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Savic
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guidetti
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turi
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pavicevic
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rebecchi
authors.forename: Milos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mojovic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D019097:Spin Trapping; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D058467:Tardigrada / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D013481:Superoxides