DNA damage triggers the death of green sea turtle-derived cells at high temperature.

Abstract

As temperatures rise due to increasingly severe global warming, the effect of high temperatures on wildlife, including green sea turtles, is one of the issues that must be addressed to ensure the conservation of biodiversity. In the current study, we found that green sea turtle cell death due to apoptosis occurred at 37 °C, which suppressed cell proliferation. We also found that high temperature-induced heat stress led to the accumulation of DNA damage in green sea turtle cells. DNA damage is a key factor for the induction of apoptosis. Therefore, heat stress-mediated DNA damage can trigger green sea turtle cell apoptosis. Based on these results, we predict that high temperatures, such as 37 °C, would adversely impact green sea turtles, resulting in death or health-related challenges. Importantly, this information can facilitate the conservation of green sea turtles because cellular and molecular studies regarding the effects of global warming effects remain limited.