Life on the dry side: a roadmap to understanding desiccation tolerance and accelerating translational applications

R. A. Marks (), J. T. B. Ekwealor (), M. A. S. Artur, L. Bondi, T. C. Boothby, O. M. S. Carmo, D. C. Centeno, K. K. Coe, H. J. W. Dace, S. Field, A. Hutt, S. Porembski, A. Thalhammer, L. van der Pas, A. J. Wood, P. Alpert, D. Bartels, S. Boeynaems, M. N. Datar, T. Giese, W. I. Seidou, S. M. Kirchner, J. Köhler, U. G. V. S. S. Kumara, J. Kyung, R. Lyall, B. D. Mishler, J. B. V. T. Ndongmo, M. S. Otegui, V. Reddy, J. Rexroth, S. M. Tebele, R. VanBuren, J. Verdier, U. C. Vothknecht, M. F. Wittenberg, E. Zokov, M. J. Oliver () and S. Y. Rhee ()
Additional contact information
R. A. Marks: Michigan State University
J. T. B. Ekwealor: San Francisco State University
M. A. S. Artur: Wageningen University
L. Bondi: University of Rostock, Institute of Biosciences
T. C. Boothby: University of Wyoming
O. M. S. Carmo: Baylor College of Medicine
D. C. Centeno: Universidade Federal do ABC
K. K. Coe: Middlebury College
H. J. W. Dace: Delft University of Technology
S. Field: Michigan State University
A. Hutt: University of Texas at Austin
S. Porembski: University of Rostock, Institute of Biosciences
A. Thalhammer: University of Potsdam
L. van der Pas: University of Cape Town
A. J. Wood: Southern Illinois University
P. Alpert: University of Massachusetts-Amherst
D. Bartels: University of Bonn
S. Boeynaems: Baylor College of Medicine
M. N. Datar: Agharkar Research Institute
T. Giese: University of Rostock, Institute of Biosciences
W. I. Seidou: WASCAL, Universite Felix Houphouet-Boigny
S. M. Kirchner: University of Cape Town
J. Köhler: University of Rostock, Institute of Biosciences
U. G. V. S. S. Kumara: University of Wyoming
J. Kyung: University of California at Berkeley
R. Lyall: Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology
B. D. Mishler: University and Jepson Herbaria, University of California
J. B. V. T. Ndongmo: University of Cape Town
M. S. Otegui: University of Wisconsin-Madison
V. Reddy: eThekwini Municipality
J. Rexroth: University of Rostock, Institute of Biosciences
S. M. Tebele: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
R. VanBuren: Michigan State University
J. Verdier: Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV
U. C. Vothknecht: University of Bonn
M. F. Wittenberg: University of Cape Town
E. Zokov: University of Rostock, Institute of Biosciences
M. J. Oliver: University of Missouri, Interdisciplinary Plant Group
S. Y. Rhee: Michigan State University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract To thrive in extreme conditions, organisms have evolved a diverse arsenal of adaptations that confer resilience. These species, their traits, and the mechanisms underlying them comprise a valuable resource that can be mined for numerous conceptual insights and applied objectives. One of the most dramatic adaptations to water limitation is desiccation tolerance. Understanding the mechanisms underlying desiccation tolerance has important potential implications for medicine, biotechnology, agriculture, and conservation. However, progress has been hindered by a lack of standardization across sub-disciplines, complicating the integration of data and slowing the translation of basic discoveries into practical applications. Here, we synthesize current knowledge on desiccation tolerance across evolutionary, ecological, physiological, and cellular scales to provide a roadmap for advancing desiccation tolerance research. We also address critical gaps and technical roadblocks, highlighting the need for standardized experimental practices, improved taxonomic sampling, and the development of new tools for studying biology in a dry state. We hope that this perspective can serve as a roadmap to accelerating research breakthroughs and unlocking the potential of desiccation tolerance to address global challenges related to climate change, food security, and health.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58656-y

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