Abstract
Rapidly evolving space exploration makes understanding the short- and long- term effects of microgravity on humans, plants, and microorganisms an important task. The ubiquitous presence of the gravitational force has had an influence on the development of all living entities on Earth, and short- and long-term changes in perceived gravitational force can induce notable changes within cells. Deinococcus radiodurans is the Gram-positive bacterium that is best known for its extreme resistance to UV-C and gamma radiation, oxidation stress, and desiccation. Thus increased interest has been placed on this species in the context of space research. The present study aims to elucidate the short-term proteomic response of this species to real microgravity during parabolic flight. Overnight cultures of D. radiodurans were subjected to microgravity during a single parabola, and metabolic activity was quenched using methanol. Proteins were extracted and subsequently measured using HPLC nESI MS/MS. The results, such as the enrichment of the peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway with differentially abundant proteins and altered S-layer protein abundance, suggested molecular rearrangements in the cell envelope of D. radiodurans. Altered abundance of proteins involved in energy metabolism and DNA repair could be linked with increased endogenous ROS production that contributes to the stress response. Moreover, changes in protein abundance in response to microgravity show similarities with previously reported stress responses. Thus, the present results could be used to further investigate the complex regulation of the remarkable stress management of this bacterium.
Highlights
As plans for future space exploration are becoming more ambitious, a better understanding of all factors affecting humans, plants, and microorganisms in space is necessary.Microgravity is an important variable in outer space and understanding the short- and longterm effects of microgravity on cellular processes will be important to minimize its negative effects on the physiology of any organism
Understanding the molecular alterations occurring in bacteria due to changes in gravity is important in the context of future space missions, as microgravity is an important variable in outer space
The results provided evidence that the D. radiodurans cell envelope undergoes changes, highlighted by increased abundance of proteins involved in peptidoglycan biosynthesis and decreased abundance of
Summary
As plans for future space exploration are becoming more ambitious, a better understanding of all factors affecting humans, plants, and microorganisms in space is necessary. Microgravity is an important variable in outer space and understanding the short- and longterm effects of microgravity on cellular processes will be important to minimize its negative effects on the physiology of any organism. Outer space has become a coveted environment to investigate how microgravity affects living organisms. Space Station (ISS), orbiting in low Earth orbit (LEO) at an average altitude of 400 km, has been the location for multiple experiments aiming to simulate extra-terrestrial conditions, including microgravity [1,2,3,4,5]. On Earth, this acceleration force is approximately
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
