BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists studying snakes living on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at an altitude of 3,500 to 4,400 meters have discovered the genetic mechanism for their adaptation to high-elevation extreme environments.
The research, published online in the latest issue of the academic journal PNAS, might help the prevention and treatment of altitude-related illnesses.
Most animals have certain requirements for their environment and have difficulty surviving beyond that. However, some species can survive and thrive in extreme conditions such as intense radiation or hypoxia.
Their long-term adaptive evolution makes these animals different from other organisms in terms of genetic structure, enzyme characteristics and metabolic function, said Li Jiatang, a lead scientist at the Chengdu Institute of Biology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The hot-spring snakes, belonging to the genus Thermophis, are a unique and rare species living in one of the world's highest habitats. They mainly live in rock piles, near water, swamps and meadows close to hot springs.
Li said the origin and evolution of hot-spring snakes are closely related to the formation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, often dubbed "the Roof of World."
The plateau is one of the most sparsely populated areas in Asia because of its high elevation, low temperatures and intense solar radiation. The region is a natural laboratory for studying the mechanisms of biological adaptation to the plateau environment, Li said.
Previous studies mainly focused on the adaptation of homothermic (regulating body temperature internally) animals to the plateau, said Li. The genetic mechanism of ectothermic (animals that regulate body temperature through external sources such as the sun) adaptation to the plateau environment was still unknown.
Comparing hot-spring snakes with species in low altitude areas, scientists found genetic mutations in the hot-spring snakes, mainly associated with functions such as immunity, adaptive response to hypoxia and DNA repair, said Li.
The research on the genetic mechanisms of adaptation to the extreme environment by homothermic and ectothermic animals will be key to finding new treatments for high-elevation illnesses in people, Li said.
