Figure 3
Percentages of tardigrades with motility recorded immediately after the rehydration process (t0), 1 h (t1), 24 h (t24) and 48 h (t48) later in control animals and in specimens of Paramacrobiotus spatialis injected with dsRNA of the target genes. (a) Control 1: uninjected animals. (b) Control 2: animals injected with RNase free water. Animals injected with dsRNA of: (c) gpx gene encoding glutathione peroxidase enzyme; (d) gr gene encoding glutathione reductase enzyme; (e) gst gene encoding glutathione transferase enzyme; (f) cat gene encoding catalase enzyme; (g) sod gene encoding superoxide dismutase enzyme; (h) tps gene encoding trehalose-6-phosphate synthase enzyme; (i) aqp 3 gene encoding aquaporin 3; (j) aqp 10 gene encoding aquaporin 10. Each column represents the mean value of three replicates and the bar on each column represents the standard deviation. The black dots on each column represent the values of each replicate composed of 10 specimens each. Blue asterisks above columns show significant statistical differences (Kruskal–Wallis test) with respect to control 1 and 2. Red asterisks above columns show significant statistical differences (Kruskal–Wallis test) with respect to tps gene, used as a further control (Control 3) to exclude the possibility that the injection of large amount of dsRNA is harmful for P. spatialis.
