Octopuses edit their RNA to survive cold waters

Octopuses possess an extraordinary ability to edit their own RNA, especially in cold environments, to ensure their nervous systems function correctly. This process, called RNA editing, modifies messenger RNA molecules after they're made from DNA, altering the proteins they create. A 2015 study found cold-water octopuses edit RNA up to 20 times more than warm-water ones, particularly in brain-related genes. This allows them to adjust protein structures, maintaining electrical signaling even when cold slows molecular movement.