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Gravity Related Genes in Arabidopsis - A (Genara-A)
06.11.13

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Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Imagery

Experiment Overview

This content was provided by Eugenie Carnero-Diaz, Ph.D., and is maintained in a database by the ISS Program Science Office.

Information provided courtesy of the Erasmus Experiment Archive.
Brief Summary

Gravity Related Genes in Arabidopsis - A (Genara-A) seeks to provide an understanding of microgravity induced altered molecular activities which will help to find plant systems that compensate the negative impact on plant growth in space.

Principal Investigator(s)

  • Eugenie Carnero-Diaz, Ph.D., Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

    • Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

  • R. Ranjeva, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
  • A. Graziana, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
  • M. Pages, Centro d'Investigacio I Desenvolupament, Barcelona, Spain
  • A. Goday, Centro d'Investigacio I Desenvolupament, Barcelona, Spain
  • Gerald Perbal, University Pierre-et-Marie Curie, Paris, France

    • Developer(s)

    EADS Astrium, Friedrichshafen, , Germany

    Sponsoring Space Agency

    European Space Agency (ESA)

    Sponsoring Organization

    Information Pending

    Research Benefits

    Information Pending

    ISS Expedition Duration

    March 2010 - September 2010

    Expeditions Assigned

    23/24

    Previous ISS Missions

    Genara-A is scheduled for its first operations on ISS Increment 23/24.

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    Experiment Description

    Research Overview

    • Gravity Related Genes in Arabidopsis - A (Genara-A) will address the existence of gravity regulated genes, which affect the mechanism of gravisensing and the redistribution of plant growth hormones.


    • For this purpose the growth of Arabidopsis shall be followed by optical observation of 1g reference samples and samples grown under microgravity.


    • Genara-A will provide an understanding of microgravity induced altered molecular activities which will help to find plant systems that compensate the negative impact on plant growth in space, an aspect of special importance for the application of plant based systems in life support systems or as food source for long-duration space flights beyond low Earth orbit.

    Description

    The existence of gravity regulated genes, whose expression depends (at least) upon the mechanism of gravisensing and the redistribution of hormones, shall be addressed properly in this experiment. In transgenic Arabidopsis plants, several biomonitors will report the distribution of IAA (plant hormone auxin [Indole-3-Acetic Acid]) and ABA (plant hormone [Abscisic Acid]) at the tissue level in microgravity or in the 1-g centrifuge.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    Information Pending

    Earth Applications

    Information Pending

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    Information Pending

    Operational Protocols

    Arabidopsis thalianaseedlings are launched dry state inside cultivation chambers (CCs). An impregnated filter paper below the seeds contains required nutrients for germination and growth, so that germination can be started by hydration with distilled water. A total of ninety-six CCs are flown.

    For processing, the samples are provided with artificial air with a composition of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water according to the investigator specifications at a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius. The growth of the Arabidopsis is observed and recorded by the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) provided video observation and recording subsystems.

    Following processing the CCs are removed from the ECs and either frozen at a temperature of -80 degrees Celsius in MELFI, and returned to ground in this condition in a suitable cold storage or filled with GUS-Assay and incubated in a incubator at a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius for 12 hours, first, and only afterwards frozen at -80 degrees C in MELFI. Currently GUS treatment is planned for 16 CCs.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Related Websites
  • The information on this page is provided courtesy of the ESA Erasmus Experiment Archive.
  • The Arabidopsis Information Resource

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    Imagery

    Information provided by the investigation team to the ISS Program Scientist's Office.
    If updates are needed to the summary please contact JSC-ISS-Program-Science-Group. For other general questions regarding space station research and technology, please feel free to call our help line at 281-244-6187 or e-mail at JSC-ISS-Research-Helpline.
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