"Coping with the cold"- Octopus & RNA editing

It is interesting to know how octopuses  🐙  and squid adapt to cold temperatures by altering their molecular makeup. When subjected to a 10-degree Celsius drop in water temperature, California two-spot octopuses and California market squid exhibited significant changes in the proteins they produced by editing their RNA. 

RNA editing is a process where messenger RNA (mRNA) is modified, which can affect protein behaviour and production. While humans and other organisms have some capacity for RNA editing, cephalopods take it to extreme levels, modifying thousands of mRNA sites. Researchers conducted experiments by adjusting the temperature of the tanks housing the cephalopods. They found that cool temperatures triggered substantial RNA editing, altering about a third of the protein production instructions. The editing occurred rapidly within a few hours and primarily affected the nervous system. The changes in mRNA editing resulted in modified behaviour at the molecular level. 

For instance, the movement of the protein kinesin, responsible for transporting cargo in nerve cells, was slowed down in octopuses. The reason behind this phenomenon is unclear, but it may help synchronize kinesin's movements with other cellular processes in a sluggish environment. Similar effects were observed in the squid study, where temperature-induced RNA editing affected kinesin as well, but in this case, the changes facilitated greater distances of protein movement within cells.

The findings demonstrate that environmental factors, such as temperature, can influence mRNA editing in addition to the previously known association with diseases. The remarkable ability of cephalopods to adapt their molecular makeup to changing conditions adds to their intriguing nature and highlights their uniqueness at both the visible and molecular levels.