Bdelloid rotifer- should it be praised that much?

[NghiaFromVN]

I have been learning genetics for a year now. Recently, I have discovered a species as called above, which as some articles said is quite unique for its ability to evolve to withstand incredibly harsh conditions, despite reproducing asexually. I, personally, do not find this interesting as bacteria, reproducing asexually by binary fission,still evolve well with material mainly from mutations. The case in point here is the antibiotics resistance. Can sbd illuminate what is special about this animal,they are not the only one who evolves with asexual reproduction, right?

[Ankit Gupta]

Bacterias are prokarotes ,very primitive organisms so for them mutations are easy to withstand. Whereas rotifers are multicellular eukaryotes ,for them fast mutations are really dangerous as you may have learnt about them in genetics . And that is why they are so much considered.

 

If rotifers don't interests you much then read about tardigrades ,they also have many properties like rotifers and even better than that, and experiments conducted on them .They are like superman of animal world.

 

May be then rotifers interests you!

[CharonY]

I would argue the opposite. In many prokaryotes, especially those with reduced genomes, mutations are more likely result in phenotypical change, thus subjecting them to selective pressures. Whereas in eukaryotes with larger genomes but overall smaller proportion of genes random mutations are likely to be neutral. Antibiotics resistance is also mostly relevant for prokaryotes as they do not specifically target eukaryotes. That being said, there are quite a few, typically relatively simple, eukaryotes who have surprising resistances to adverse conditions. And also, asexual reproduction is nothing special, many simpler eukaryotes reproduce that way, so I have a hard time tying all the aspects together in an answer.

[Endy0816]

I read one article talking about them being able to pick up dna from the environment.

 

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2012/11/bdelloids-surviving-borrowed-dna

 

Something similar:

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/05/03/these-lady-salamanders-are-better-off-without-men/

 

I just find the various strategies interesting.