(Radio Iowa) – Research at Iowa State University has discovered how structures within turtle genes fold onto each other, which I-S-U biology professor Nicole Valenzuela says is a key to how the animals function.

Turning genes on and off allows the turtles to survive in harsh environments.

It is believed this is why some turtles can survive weeks without oxygen and some can withstand extreme cold. Valenzuela says understanding the genetic basis of the turtle traits could be leveraged for biomedical uses in humans.

Valenzuela says there is much more research ahead before they can determine how these traits could be used to help humans.