The response of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 to spaceflight in the international space station

Natalie Leys, Sarah Baatout, Caroline Rosier, Annik Dams, Catherine s'Heeren, Ruddy Wattiez, Max Mergeay, Felice Mastroleo

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    The survival and behavior of Cupriavidus metallidurans strain CH34 were tested in space. In three spaceflight experiments, during three separate visits to the ‘International Space Station’ (ISS), strain CH34 was grown for 10–12 days at ambient temperature on mineral agar medium. Space- and earthgrown cells were compared post-flight by flow cytometry and using 2D-gel protein analysis. Pre-, in- and post-flight incubation conditions and experiment design had a significant impact on the survival and growth of CH34 in space. In the CH34 cells returning from spaceflight, 16 proteins were identified which were present in higher concentration in cells developed in spaceflight conditions. These proteins were involved in a specific response of CH34 to carbon limitation and oxidative stress. The reproducible observation of the over-expression of these same proteins in multiple flight experiments, indicated that the CH34 cells could experience a substrate limitation and oxidative stress in spaceflight where cells and substrates are exposed to lower levels of gravity and higher doses of ionizing radiation. Bacterium C. metallidurans CH34 was able to grow normally under spaceflight conditions with very minor to no effects on cell physiology, but nevertheless specifically altered the expression of a few proteins in response to the environmental changes.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)227-245
    JournalAntonie van Leeuwenhoek
    Volume96
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 2 Jul 2009

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