Survival at Extreme Depths: How Comb Jellies Defy Ocean Pressure

UC San Diego researchers discovered that ctenophores in the deep sea have unique lipid adaptations, called “homeocurvature,” allowing survival in high pressures. These findings might help understand diseases like Alzheimer’s, where similar lipids play a role.

The deep sea is one of the most hostile environments on earth. The temperature is freezing cold, there is no light, and the extreme pressure can crush human beings. The animals living at these depths have developed specialized biophysical adaptations to survive these harsh conditions.

To investigate these adaptations and how they developed, a team of researchers led by University of California San Diego Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Itay Budin studied the cell membranes of ctenophores, also known as comb jellies. In their study, recently published in Science, they discovered ctenophores have unique lipid structures that allow them to live under intense pressure.