From Spaceflight to Mars <i>g</i>-Levels: Adaptive Response of <i>A. Thaliana</i> Seedlings in a Reduced Gravity Environment Is Enhanced by Red-Light Photostimulation
The response of plants to the spaceflight environment and microgravity is still not well understood, although research has increased in this area. Even less is known about plants’ response to partial or reduced gravity levels. In the absence of the directional cues provided by the gravity vector, th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/2/899 |
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| author | Alicia Villacampa Malgorzata Ciska Aránzazu Manzano Joshua P. Vandenbrink John Z. Kiss Raúl Herranz F. Javier Medina |
| author_facet | Alicia Villacampa Malgorzata Ciska Aránzazu Manzano Joshua P. Vandenbrink John Z. Kiss Raúl Herranz F. Javier Medina |
| author_sort | Alicia Villacampa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The response of plants to the spaceflight environment and microgravity is still not well understood, although research has increased in this area. Even less is known about plants’ response to partial or reduced gravity levels. In the absence of the directional cues provided by the gravity vector, the plant is especially perceptive to other cues such as light. Here, we investigate the response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> 6-day-old seedlings to microgravity and the Mars partial gravity level during spaceflight, as well as the effects of red-light photostimulation by determining meristematic cell growth and proliferation. These experiments involve microscopic techniques together with transcriptomic studies. We demonstrate that microgravity and partial gravity trigger differential responses. The microgravity environment activates hormonal routes responsible for proliferation/growth and upregulates plastid/mitochondrial-encoded transcripts, even in the dark. In contrast, the Mars gravity level inhibits these routes and activates responses to stress factors to restore cell growth parameters only when red photostimulation is provided. This response is accompanied by upregulation of numerous transcription factors such as the environmental acclimation-related WRKY-domain family. In the long term, these discoveries can be applied in the design of bioregenerative life support systems and space farming. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:29:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad88cf9aad2246bc80cc9864d51e237a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:29:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad88cf9aad2246bc80cc9864d51e237a2023-12-03T13:37:51ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-01-0122289910.3390/ijms22020899From Spaceflight to Mars <i>g</i>-Levels: Adaptive Response of <i>A. Thaliana</i> Seedlings in a Reduced Gravity Environment Is Enhanced by Red-Light PhotostimulationAlicia Villacampa0Malgorzata Ciska1Aránzazu Manzano2Joshua P. Vandenbrink3John Z. Kiss4Raúl Herranz5F. Javier Medina6Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, SpainCentro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, SpainCentro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, SpainSchool of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USADepartment of Biology, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USACentro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, SpainCentro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, SpainThe response of plants to the spaceflight environment and microgravity is still not well understood, although research has increased in this area. Even less is known about plants’ response to partial or reduced gravity levels. In the absence of the directional cues provided by the gravity vector, the plant is especially perceptive to other cues such as light. Here, we investigate the response of <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> 6-day-old seedlings to microgravity and the Mars partial gravity level during spaceflight, as well as the effects of red-light photostimulation by determining meristematic cell growth and proliferation. These experiments involve microscopic techniques together with transcriptomic studies. We demonstrate that microgravity and partial gravity trigger differential responses. The microgravity environment activates hormonal routes responsible for proliferation/growth and upregulates plastid/mitochondrial-encoded transcripts, even in the dark. In contrast, the Mars gravity level inhibits these routes and activates responses to stress factors to restore cell growth parameters only when red photostimulation is provided. This response is accompanied by upregulation of numerous transcription factors such as the environmental acclimation-related WRKY-domain family. In the long term, these discoveries can be applied in the design of bioregenerative life support systems and space farming.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/2/899microgravitypartial gravitytranscription factorsgene expressionroot meristem |
| spellingShingle | Alicia Villacampa Malgorzata Ciska Aránzazu Manzano Joshua P. Vandenbrink John Z. Kiss Raúl Herranz F. Javier Medina From Spaceflight to Mars <i>g</i>-Levels: Adaptive Response of <i>A. Thaliana</i> Seedlings in a Reduced Gravity Environment Is Enhanced by Red-Light Photostimulation International Journal of Molecular Sciences microgravity partial gravity transcription factors gene expression root meristem |
| title | From Spaceflight to Mars <i>g</i>-Levels: Adaptive Response of <i>A. Thaliana</i> Seedlings in a Reduced Gravity Environment Is Enhanced by Red-Light Photostimulation |
| title_full | From Spaceflight to Mars <i>g</i>-Levels: Adaptive Response of <i>A. Thaliana</i> Seedlings in a Reduced Gravity Environment Is Enhanced by Red-Light Photostimulation |
| title_fullStr | From Spaceflight to Mars <i>g</i>-Levels: Adaptive Response of <i>A. Thaliana</i> Seedlings in a Reduced Gravity Environment Is Enhanced by Red-Light Photostimulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Spaceflight to Mars <i>g</i>-Levels: Adaptive Response of <i>A. Thaliana</i> Seedlings in a Reduced Gravity Environment Is Enhanced by Red-Light Photostimulation |
| title_short | From Spaceflight to Mars <i>g</i>-Levels: Adaptive Response of <i>A. Thaliana</i> Seedlings in a Reduced Gravity Environment Is Enhanced by Red-Light Photostimulation |
| title_sort | from spaceflight to mars i g i levels adaptive response of i a thaliana i seedlings in a reduced gravity environment is enhanced by red light photostimulation |
| topic | microgravity partial gravity transcription factors gene expression root meristem |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/2/899 |
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