TY - JOUR
T1 - Perspectives for plant biology in space and analogue environments
AU - De Micco, Veronica
AU - Aronne, Giovanna
AU - Caplin, Nicol
AU - Carnero-Diaz, Eugénie
AU - Herranz, Raúl
AU - Horemans, Nele
AU - Legué, Valérie
AU - Medina, F. Javier
AU - Pereda-Loth, Veronica
AU - Schiefloe, Mona
AU - De Francesco, Sara
AU - Izzo, Luigi Gennaro
AU - Le Disquet, Isabel
AU - Kittang Jost, Ann Iren
N1 - Score=10
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the European Space Agency (ESA). This perspective paper is based upon work from the Contributors to the Topic C “Plant Biology” of the ESA SciSpacE white paper “Biology in Space and Analogue Environments”, listed in alphabetic order: Giovanna Aronne, Nicol Caplin, Eugénie Carnero-Diaz, Raúl Herranz, Nele Horemans, Ann-Iren Kittang Jost (Coordinator), Valerie Legue, F. Javier Medina, Veronica De Micco, (Coordinator), Veronica Pereda-Campos, Mona Schiefloe.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, Springer Nature Limited.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - Advancements in plant space biology are required for the realization of human space exploration missions, where the re-supply of resources from Earth is not feasible. Until a few decades ago, space life science was focused on the impact of the space environment on the human body. More recently, the interest in plant space biology has increased because plants are key organisms in Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) for the regeneration of resources and fresh food production. Moreover, plants play an important role in psychological support for astronauts. The definition of cultivation requirements for the design, realization, and successful operation of BLSS must consider the effects of space factors on plants. Altered gravitational fields and radiation exposure are the main space factors inducing changes in gene expression, cell proliferation and differentiation, signalling and physiological processes with possible consequences on tissue organization and organogenesis, thus on the whole plant functioning. Interestingly, the changes at the cellular and molecular levels do not always result in organismic or developmental changes. This apparent paradox is a current research challenge. In this paper, the main findings of gravity- and radiation-related research on higher plants are summarized, highlighting the knowledge gaps that are still necessary to fill. Existing experimental facilities to simulate the effect of space factors, as well as requirements for future facilities for possible experiments to achieve fundamental biology goals are considered. Finally, the need for making synergies among disciplines and for establishing global standard operating procedures for analyses and data collection in space experiments is highlighted.
AB - Advancements in plant space biology are required for the realization of human space exploration missions, where the re-supply of resources from Earth is not feasible. Until a few decades ago, space life science was focused on the impact of the space environment on the human body. More recently, the interest in plant space biology has increased because plants are key organisms in Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) for the regeneration of resources and fresh food production. Moreover, plants play an important role in psychological support for astronauts. The definition of cultivation requirements for the design, realization, and successful operation of BLSS must consider the effects of space factors on plants. Altered gravitational fields and radiation exposure are the main space factors inducing changes in gene expression, cell proliferation and differentiation, signalling and physiological processes with possible consequences on tissue organization and organogenesis, thus on the whole plant functioning. Interestingly, the changes at the cellular and molecular levels do not always result in organismic or developmental changes. This apparent paradox is a current research challenge. In this paper, the main findings of gravity- and radiation-related research on higher plants are summarized, highlighting the knowledge gaps that are still necessary to fill. Existing experimental facilities to simulate the effect of space factors, as well as requirements for future facilities for possible experiments to achieve fundamental biology goals are considered. Finally, the need for making synergies among disciplines and for establishing global standard operating procedures for analyses and data collection in space experiments is highlighted.
KW - Plant space biology
KW - Space environment
KW - BLSS
KW - Experiments
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85168414756&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41526-023-00315-x
DO - 10.1038/s41526-023-00315-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85168414756
SN - 2373-8065
VL - 9
JO - npj Microgravity
JF - npj Microgravity
IS - 1
M1 - 67
ER -