Tardigrades are a phylum of eight-legged segmented micro-animals that can survive almost complete desiccation, freezing, high temperatures, ionizing radiation, osmotic shock, and extreme pressures in space. This is possible due to a set of protein families unique to tardigrades called intrinsically disordered proteins (TDPs). TDPs lack a fixed/ordered three-dimensional structure under physiological conditions. Instead, they exist as dynamic ensembles of interconverting conformations which allow them to undergo conformational changes and protect other cellular components during stress. Most other organisms do not have the same resistance towards extreme temperatures or desiccation due to a lack of TDPs. This study aims to enhance fungal resilience by introducing genes that encode two of these intrinsically disordered proteins into their genome. By expressing these genes into recipient fungi, we seek to potentially increase their ability to withstand a greater variety of environmental conditions (such as high temperatures and desiccation) beyond the limited capabilities of the unaltered wild-type. By analyzing the responses of the genetically altered fungi to these stressors, we hope to achieve a better understanding of how TDPs could potentially be utilized in other applications in order to allow other industrial organisms to survive a wider spectrum of conditions.
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