loading . . . Grace under pressure: How membranes help comb jellies thrive in the deep Deep-sea animals live under crushing amounts of pressure generated by the immense weight of the water above. Comb jellies are a diverse group of gelatinous animals found across a range of marine habitats, from the ocean’s sunlit surface to the abyssal seafloor. For decades, MBARI scientists have studied who lives in these habitats. Some of the most dazzling denizens, and the most depth-diverse, are the comb jellies. Using MBARI's advanced deep-sea robots, MBARI researchers studied 17 different species to find out why there are so many kinds of comb jellies and why some only live in shallow water and others only in the deep. They learned that an adaptation in their cellular membranes is key to surviving high pressure. Greasy molecules called lipids that make up membranes have a different shape in deep-sea species than in shallow-water ones. The cone shape of these molecules helps keep the cellular membranes of deep-sea comb jellies dynamic under pressure. Our cell membranes contain plasmalogen lipids too. In fact, the highest levels are in brain cells. Comb jellies taught us that plasmalogens have a special shape, which could help us understand how these molecules help our brains function. The ocean’s depths hold the answers to fundamental questions about life on Earth. But deep-sea animals and environments face a fragile future. If we don’t protect deep-sea biodiversity, we risk losing critical clues about the inner workings of life itself. Who knows what else deep-sea animals will teach us? Script writer, animations, narrator: Jacob Winnikoff Science advisors: Steven Haddock, Jacob Winnikoff Editor: Kyra Schlining, Marike Pinsonneault Production team: Steven Haddock, Raúl Nava, Kyra Schlining, Nancy Jacobsen Stout, Susan von Thun Publication: Winnikoff, J.R., D. Milshteyn, S.J. Vargas-Urbano, M.A. Pedraza, A.M. Armando, O. Quehenberger, A. Sodt, R.E. Gillilan, E.A. Dennis, E. Lyman, S.H.D. Haddock, and I. Budin. 2024. Homeocurvature adaptation of phospholipids to pressure in deep-sea invertebrates. Science, 384(6703): 1482–1488. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adm7607 https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3De7A0hZ8mBtE&data=05%7C02%7CCOLLINSA%40si.edu%7C8d217d24fa7d4a679f4608dd34fac363%7C989b5e2a14e44efe93b78cdd5fc5d11c%7C0%7C0%7C638724973814060577%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=E72p5wX%2BVV6j7ya3R9UUxPLvqKypKVvyUxOkCmvO6U4%3D&reserved=0
