GENOTYPIC AND PHENOTYPIC CHANGES IN YEAST RELATED TO SELECTIVE
GROWTH PRESSURES UNIQUE TO MICROGRAVITY (MICRO-4)
Research Area: Microbiology
Expedition(s): 27/28
Principal Investigator(s): ● Timothy G. Hammond, MBBS, Durham Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Genotypic and Phenotypic Changes in Yeast Related to Selective Growth Pressures Unique
to Microgravity (Micro-4) study investigates how yeast cells adapt to the unique aspects of the
space environment by using the yeast deletion series; a collection of yeast strains where every
gene has been individually knocked out. In this manner, the selective growth of every strain in
the yeast deletion series can be analyzed.
EARTH BENEFITS
Fundamental Space Biology (FSB) uses the space
environment to probe the fundamental nature of life on
Earth in order to enhance the understanding of how life
responds to physical forces on Earth and in space.SPACE BENEFITS
Direct assessment of selective pressures on cell populations
through generations using the yeast deletion series is a
critical experiment to directly address risks to biological
integrity and life-based support systems for long-term
occupation in space. Results from this study allow
researchers to gain a global perspective to the genes that
play a role in survival, in regards to microgravity conditions and allows for a more thorough
understanding of the effects of microgravity on a model organism. The expectation is that what
is observed in yeast is likely to have a comparable effect in mammalian cells. This is supported
by the observation that regulatory mechanisms are largely conserved between yeast and
mammalian cells.
RESULTS
Results are pending publication.
This investigation is complete; however additional results are pending publication.
Enhanced microscopic image of the
yeast fungi Saccharomyces
cerevisiae. NASA image.