DNA analysis revealed unusual changes in their genome – They have become immune to radiation, heavy metals and pollution
Dogs living near the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster have been mutated by radiation, developing a new superpower in order to survive: they have become immune to radiation, heavy metals and pollution, research by environmental health scientists at Columbia University reveals.
The researchers collected blood samples from 116 stray dogs living in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), in two different packs – and all 116 dogs were found to be genetically mutated compared to the rest of the dogs in the wider area.
According to the Daily Mail, DNA analysis revealed almost 400 points in the genome with unusual changes. Of these, the researchers identified 52 genes associated with adaptation to toxic environmental contamination.
This suggests that they have adapted to withstand long-term exposure to this toxic environment and explains why they continued to live and reproduce in the desert zone.
The research also showed that the mutations that appeared in the dogs are passed down from generation to generation, while similar phenomena have been observed in other life forms in the exclusion zone. More recently, studies have shown that black-skinned wolves and trees have adapted to radiation.
“How do you survive in a hostile environment like this for 15 generations?”
Scientists are studying dogs around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant to see whether anything in their genes helped their families survive. https://t.co/lXUm4zuPnd pic.twitter.com/NFR1t4iglP
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 3, 2023
The samples were collected during sterilization and vaccination programs conducted in 2018 and 2019 by the organization Clean Futures Fund Dogs of Chernobyl. The research was published in March 2023 in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics.
Almost 40 years after the worst nuclear accident in history – on April 26, 1986 – which killed thousands, the Chernobyl disaster site remains a radioactive wasteland, with levels of radioactivity reaching 11.28 millirems, six times the legal limit. for people.
Dr Norman Kleiman, who led the research, hopes that the new evidence will help to understand the effects of chronic exposure to toxic environments, not only in dogs, but also in humans.
“Studying the genetic effects of these risks in dogs will enhance our broader understanding of how they can affect our health and how we can reduce the risks,” said the scientist.
Source: Skai
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