PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

The life cycle of a jellyfish (and a way to control it)

2014-01-16
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Mary Beth O'Leary
moleary@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell Press
The life cycle of a jellyfish (and a way to control it)

Those free-swimming jellyfish in the sea don't start out in that familiar medusa form, but rather start as sessile and asexual polyps. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on January 16 have discovered what triggers that transformation in the moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita). The key is a novel metamorphosis hormone that accumulates during the cold winter to induce a synchronized emergence of jellyfish in the spring.

This biological understanding might offer new methods for controlling moon jellyfish blooms, which can sometimes mean trouble for fisheries and other human endeavors, the researchers say. For example, a giant swarm of moon jellies shut down a nuclear reactor in Sweden last October.

"Now we know in detail why and how Aurelia polyps turn into jellyfishes," says Konstantin Khalturin of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. "We are also able to control polyp-to-jellyfish transition with an extremely powerful chemical inducer."

In the lab, the researchers can reliably force the polyp-to-jellyfish transition in just 48 hours; natural induction with cold temperatures alone used to take weeks.

The interest in jellyfish for Khalturin and his colleagues comes from a fascinating biological question: How do many animals develop several completely different body plans based on one genome? To find out, the authors conducted a series of experiments to uncover the molecular underpinnings of the process in Aurelia.

Their studies show that the Aurelia transition is a two-part process. The first part involves a signal common to other animals. The second depends on a novel protein, which acts as a temperature-sensitive "timer." That protein is also the precursor of the moon jellies' metamorphosis hormone.

Interestingly, Khalturin says, the hormone appears to differ in important ways amongst genetically distant strains of Aurelia. As a result, hormone-laden tissue taken from jellyfish in the Pacific Ocean would not turn polyps from the Baltic Sea into jellyfishes.

The researchers say the findings could in theory be used to control a population of Aurelia polyps in a medium-sized bay. "It is just necessary to induce their metamorphosis at the wrong period of time: the beginning of winter instead of spring," Khalturin says. Young jellyfish with nothing to eat will die, and there would be no jellyfish bloom the following summer.

Khalturin notes that similar strategies have been used for decades to fight malaria mosquitoes and caterpillar pests. However, he cautions, it will be absolutely necessary to ensure that the chemical analog of jellyfish hormone is safe to use.



INFORMATION:

Current Biology, Fuchs et al.: "Regulation of polyp to jellyfish transition in Aurelia aurita."



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

JCI early table of contents for Jan. 16, 2014

2014-01-16
JCI early table of contents for Jan. 16, 2014 Macrophages target tumor cells following monoclonal antibody therapy Monoclonal antibodies directed against tumor antigens have proven effective for treating some forms of cancer. Despite the increasing use ...

Macrophages target tumor cells following monoclonal antibody therapy

2014-01-16
Macrophages target tumor cells following monoclonal antibody therapy Monoclonal antibodies directed against tumor antigens have proven effective for treating some forms of cancer. Despite the increasing use of monoclonal antibody therapy, it is not clear ...

Targeting a cell cycle inhibitor promotes beta cell replication

2014-01-16
Targeting a cell cycle inhibitor promotes beta cell replication One of the factors underlying the development of type 2 diabetes is loss of β cell mass, resulting in decreased insulin production. Once lost, β cell mass cannot be restored. In ...

Unraveling misfolded molecules using 'reprogrammed' yeast protein

2014-01-16
Unraveling misfolded molecules using 'reprogrammed' yeast protein Implications for new brain disease therapies PHILADELPHIA - At the heart of brain diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's ...

The symphony of life, revealed

2014-01-16
The symphony of life, revealed A new imaging technique captures the vibrations of proteins, tiny motions critical to human life BUFFALO, N.Y. — Like the strings on a violin or the pipes of an organ, the proteins in the human body vibrate in different patterns, scientists ...

How metabolism and brain activity are linked

2014-01-16
How metabolism and brain activity are linked Study sheds light on why diet may help control seizures in epilepsy patients A new study by scientists at McGill University and the University of Zurich shows a direct link between metabolism in brain cells and ...

Study identifies drug that could improve treatment of PTSD

2014-01-16
Study identifies drug that could improve treatment of PTSD New study identifies drug that could improve treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder CAMBRIDGE, Mass-- Nearly 8 million Americans suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition ...

Preventing cell death from infection: Scientists demonstrate method to find new therapies

2014-01-16
Preventing cell death from infection: Scientists demonstrate method to find new therapies LA JOLLA, CA—January 16, 2014—Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have demonstrated the power of a new drug discovery technique, which allows them to find—relatively ...

5,900 natural gas leaks discovered under Washington, D.C.

2014-01-16
5,900 natural gas leaks discovered under Washington, D.C. A dozen locations had concentrations high enough to trigger explosion DURHAM, NC – More than 5,893 leaks from aging natural gas pipelines have been found under the streets of Washington, D.C. by a research team from Duke ...

Scientists discover 2 proteins that control chandelier cell architecture

2014-01-16
Scientists discover 2 proteins that control chandelier cell architecture Chandelier cells, a group of powerful inhibitory neurons, are important in epilepsy and schizophrenia Cold Spring Harbor, NY – Chandelier cells are neurons that use their unique shape to ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

AI can spot which patients need treatment to prevent vision loss in young adults

Half of people stop taking popular weight-loss drug within a year, national study finds

Links between diabetes and depression are similar across Europe, study of over-50s in 18 countries finds

Smoking increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, regardless of its characteristics

Scientists trace origins of now extinct plant population from volcanically active Nishinoshima

AI algorithm based on routine mammogram + age can predict women’s major cardiovascular disease risk

New hurdle seen to prostate screening: primary-care docs

MSU researchers explore how virtual sports aid mental health

Working together, cells extend their senses

Cheese fungi help unlock secrets of evolution

Researchers find brain region that fuels compulsive drinking

Mental health effects of exposure to firearm violence persist long after direct exposure

Research identifies immune response that controls Oropouche infection and prevents neurological damage

University of Cincinnati, Kent State University awarded $3M by NSF to share research resources

Ancient DNA reveals deeply complex Mastodon family and repeated migrations driven by climate change

Measuring the quantum W state

Researchers find a way to use antibodies to direct T cells to kill Cytomegalovirus-infected cells

Engineers create mini microscope for real-time brain imaging

Funding for training and research in biological complexity

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: September 12, 2025

ISSCR statement on the scientific and therapeutic value of human fetal tissue research

Novel PET tracer detects synaptic changes in spinal cord and brain after spinal cord injury

Wiley advances Knowitall Solutions with new trendfinder application for user-friendly chemometric analysis and additional enhancements to analytical workflows

Benchmark study tracks trends in dog behavior

OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google vary widely in identifying hate speech

Research spotlight: Study identifies a surprising new treatment target for chronic limb threatening ischemia

Childhood loneliness and cognitive decline and dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults

Parental diseases of despair and suicidal events in their children

Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older adults

Acupuncture treatment improves disabling effects of chronic low back pain in older adults

[Press-News.org] The life cycle of a jellyfish (and a way to control it)