Scientists have found a damage suppressing gene in tardigrades that they have called "Dsup". It directs the production of a protein that can protect DNA, partially explaining tardigrades' resistance to the effects of radiation. The scientists also inserted the gene into human cells and found that Dsup-treated cells suffered less damage from X-ray exposure.
Extremotolerant tardigrade genome and improved radiotolerance of human cultured cells by tardigrade-unique protein (open, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12808) (DX)
(Score: 4, Interesting) by t-3 on Thursday September 22 2016, @12:58PM
Everyone most likely. Light skinned peoples can have a surgery/treatment of some kinds and greatly reduce sun damage/skin cancer risks, maybe cancers in general can be prevented with this? Perhaps we can tinker with other genetics of these tardigrades and use them to seed mars and start producing an atmosphere or something?