On August 1st, the international academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) published the latest research finding concerning the hot-spring snake discovered by Mr. Li Jiatang’s team of the Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This paper reveals for the first time the genetic mechanism and other genetic mysteries of snake to account for the ectotherm’s adaptation to the extreme environments at high altitudes. The scientific community believes that this research finding will shed light on the prevention and treatment of mankind’s high altitude sickness.

　　Mr. Li Jiatang’s team found that the hot-spring snake and the mutants of the gene related to DNA repair are more stable under ultraviolet light irradiation. It is speculated that this mutation contributes to the resistance of the hot-spring snake species to ultraviolet light exposure at high altitudes. In addition, the mutation of the EPAS1 gene in the hot-spring snake weakened its ability to regulate the expression of the downstream gene erythropoietin, lowering its concentration of hemoglobin, which is an important reason for its adaptive ability to high altitudes and anoxic environments.

　　As a rare and endangered species in China, the hot-spring snake is endemic to Tibet existing in the stone piles, watersides and swamp meadows near the hot springs at 3,500 to 4,400 meters above sea level. It is one of the snakes that lives at the highest altitude in the world.