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Octopuses and their cephalopod cousins can edit and recode their own genes

04/09/2017

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Octopuses have earned a reputation as clever<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=949eYdEz3Es"> aquatic escape artists</a>. But in addition to being <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6L82iJ_NTI">underwater Houdinis</a>, these creatures (and other coleiod <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/cephalopod/">cephalopods</a> including cuttlefish and squid) were recently discovered to have another mind-blowing trick: they can rewire their own <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/gene/">genetic material</a> to adapt more quickly to their environment.

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The RNA editing may be associated with the cephalopod intelligence level, but the link remains unclear.

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Coleiod cephalapods include octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish.

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Octopuses have earned a reputation as clever aquatic escape artists. But in addition to being underwater Houdinis, these creatures (and other coleiod cephalopods including cuttlefish and squid) were recently discovered to have another mind-blowing trick: they can rewire their own genetic material to adapt more quickly to their environment.

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