Drosophila GENE Experiment in the Spanish Soyuz Mission to the ISS: II. Effects of the Containment Constraints
Drosophila GENE Experiment in the Spanish Soyuz Mission to the ISS: II. Effects of the Containment Constraints
复制标题
DOI：
10.1007/s12217-008-9097-1
复制
发表时间：
2009-11-01
影响因子：
1.8
通讯作者：
Marco, Roberto
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Herranz, Raul;Lavan, David A.;Marco, Roberto
在为期11天的联盟号国际空间站(ISS)任务中进行的基因实验中，我们打算确定微重力是否会影响果蝇的变态过程。进行了控制实验，包括平行于国际空间站飞行样本的1G地面控制和随机位置机微重力模拟控制。对结果的初步分析表明，根据所选择的截止水平，500到1000个基因的表达谱会发生变化。其中受影响最大的是线粒体(以呼吸链为例)。我们在这里表明，为满足空间实验的要求而引入的约束(主要是冷步骤和使用密封的I型容器)存在协同效应。为了减缓蛹的发育，引入了到发射场的冷运输步骤。密封的I型容器被要求确保实验中固定剂(丙酮)的封闭性。如图所示，容器内的氧气浓度不是最理想的，但与蛹的发育完全一致。随着这些研究变得更加复杂和广泛，这种综合环境影响很有可能成为这些类型研究中的常见发现。他们可能会为理解基因表达模式和实际表型如何适应环境开辟道路。这些发现表明了一个强有力的地面计划对支持真正的微重力实验的重要性。只有到那时，我们才能利用国际空间站来了解外层空间环境改变对生物的影响。
In the GENE experiment performed during an 11-day Soyuz Mission to the International Space Station (ISS), we intended to determine if microgravity affects Drosophila metamorphosis processes. Control experiments were performed including a 1g ground control parallel to the ISS flight samples and a Random Position Machine microgravity simulated control. A preliminary analysis of the results indicates that five hundred to one thousand genes change their expression profiles depending on the cut-off levels selected. Especially affected among them are the mitochondrial ones (an example with the respiratory chain is presented). We show here that there is a synergic effect of the constraints introduced to meet the requirements of the space experiment (mainly, a cold step and the use of hermetically closed Type-I containers). The cold transport step to the launch site was introduced to slow down the pupal development. The hermetically closed Type I containers were required to ensure the containment of the fixative (acetone) in the experiment. As shown here, the oxygen concentration inside the container was not optimal but fully compatible with pupal development. It is highly likely that such combined environmental effects will become a common finding in these types of studies as they become more complicated and extensive. They could open the way to understand how the gene expression patterns and the actual phenotypes can adjust to the environment. These findings indicate the importance of a vigorous ground based program in support of real microgravity experiments. Only then we can utilize the ISS in order to understand the consequences of the modified environment in outer space on living organisms.