Polar Bears Adapting to Climate Change Through Genetic Mutation

Polar bears in southern Greenland are adapting to climate change through genetic mutation, according to a study published on December 12 in the journal Mobile DNA. Researchers discovered that these polar bears, currently facing challenges due to melting sea ice, are utilizing 'jumping genes' to rapidly rewrite their DNA.

Lead author Alice Godden, a senior research associate at the University of Anglia in the U.K., stated that this is the first evidence showing a unique group of polar bears in the warmest part of Greenland is employing transposable elements as a survival mechanism.

The study highlights that more than one-third of the polar bear genome consists of transposable elements. In a previous 2022 study published in Science, an isolated population of polar bears in southern Greenland was identified as being less reliant on sea ice, having diverged from a northern population approximately 200 years ago.

The new research involved analyzing the DNA of 17 adult polar bears, with 12 from the cooler northeast and five from the warmer southeast. The findings indicate that the southeastern bears exhibited changes in genes associated with heat stress, aging, metabolism, and fat processing, suggesting they are adjusting to their new, warmer environment.

Godden emphasized the link between rising temperatures and increased transposon activity, noting that different bear populations are experiencing varying rates of genetic change related to their specific climates.

Despite these adaptations, she cautioned that climate change remains a significant threat to the species, urging continued efforts to reduce global carbon emissions and mitigate temperature increases.