FIGURE 1.

Anhydrobiotic cycle of P. vanderplanki larvae. In laboratory conditions, the process of desiccation lasts 48 h, after active larvae have been removed from water. Water loss accelerates after 24 h of desiccation treatment, at which time trehalose accumulates in the body of larvae. After 48 h of desiccation, the larvae reach the anhydrobiotic state and can maintain this state for several months and even years. Once larvae are immersed in water, the process of rehydration takes place rapidly. The anhydrobiotic larvae quickly absorb water, and muscular contractions can be observed after a few minutes. They recover their original active state about 20 min to 1 h after the beginning of rehydration. In the present study, mRNAs used to construct the anhydrobiosis-related EST library were collected from active larvae and from individuals at 12 and 36 h after the beginning of desiccation treatment.