A piezophile is a classification of organisms that thrive under high hydrostatic pressure. They are found in the deepest seafloors and oceanic trenches and have evolved many adaptation mechanisms to grow in hydrostatic pressures exceeding tens of megapascals. These adaptations helped them to overcome cellular stress, including an increased rate of protein misfolding, increased cytoplasmic viscosity, and cellular membrane deformation. To investigate possible genetic adaptations responsible for their pressure resistance, we utilized a shallow dwelling from Xenopus laevis. By submitting frog embryos to high hydrostatic pressure, we identified genes whose transcriptional profiles had been altered. By expressing and knocking down these genes, We aim to recreate similar pressure resistance properties in frog embryos. So far, my project is centered on the AP1 complex, whose central genes are Jun and Fos. Both of these genes are induced under high environmental pressure. Jun and Fos are transcription factors that can interact with each other upon activation and regulate a diverse array of cellular activities, including cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Our next step is to overexpress these genes in Xenopus embryos via microinjection and test their effects on granting embryos resistance to high pressures.