Fact Sheet

Text Size

National Laboratory Pathfinder - Cells - 6: Jatropha - 3 (NLP-Cells-6)
06.10.11

Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Images

Experiment/Payload Overview

Brief Summary

National Lab Pathfinder - Cells - 6: Jatropha - 3 (NLP-Cells-6) assesses the effects of microgravity on formation, establishment and multiplication of undifferentiated cells of the Jatropha (Jatropha curcas), a biofuel plant, using different tissues as explant sources from different genotypes of Jatropha. Specific goals include the evaluation of changes in cell structure, growth and development, genetic changes, and differential gene expression. Postflight analysis identifies significant changes that occur in microgravity which could contribute to accelerating the breeding process for the development of new cultivars of this biofuel plant.

Principal Investigator

  • Wagner Vendrame, Ph.D., University of Florida, Homestead, FL

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

    Information Pending

    Payload Developer

    BioServe Space Technologies, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
    Tropical Research and Education Center, Gainesville, FL
    Vecenergy (The Vecellio Group), West Palm Beach, FL
    Zero Gravity Incorporated, International, Stevensville, MD

    Sponsoring Space Agency

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

    Supporting Organization:

    Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD)

    ISS Expedition Duration:
    September 2010 - September 2011

    Expeditions Assigned

    |25/26 |27/28|

    Previous ISS Missions

    The first NLP-Cells investigation flew to ISS during Expedition 18 on STS-126/ULF2.

    ^ back to top


    Experiment/Payload Description

    Research Summary

    • National Lab Pathfinder - Cells - 6: Jatropha - 3 (NLP-Cells-6) is an investigation sponsored by Vecenergy (The Vecellio Group) in collaboration with Zero Gravity Incorporated (ZGI), one of the two companies to have signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA under the ISS National Lab. NLP-Cells-6 aims at understanding the effects of microgravity on living systems.


    • This investigation examines the effects of microgravity on cell structure, growth and development, genetic changes, and differential gene expression of undifferentiated cells of Jatropha curcas from different explants tissues.


    • The objective of this research is to continue and complement the experiments developed under National Laboratory Pathfinder - Cells - 3: Jatropha Biofuels (NLP-Cells-3) and National Laboratory Pathfinder - Cells - 4: Jatropha - 2 (NLP-Cells-4).

    Description

    National Lab Pathfinder - Cells - 6: Jatropha - 3 (NLP-Cells-6) is an experiment conducted by the University of Florida in partnership with Vecenergy (The Vecellio Group) and Zero Gravity Incorporated (ZGI). The experiment assesses the effects of microgravity on undifferentiated cells of the Jatropha curcas, a biofuel plant.

    The objective of this research is to verify the potential changes in cell structure, DNA, and gene expression that occur in microgravity, and how such changes could contribute for improving characteristics of interest for the development of new cultivars of J. curcas. Specific goals include the evaluation of changes in cell structure using microscopy techniques, growth and development using in vitro techniques, DNA changes using molecular markers, and differential gene expression using microarray technology.

    The results are analyzed and complement the studies performed during National Laboratory Pathfinder - Cells - 3: Jatropha Biofuels (NLP-Cells-3) and National Laboratory Pathfinder - Cells - 4: Jatropha-2 (NLP-Cells-4). Such analyzes are performed postflight, identifying changes of significant nature that occur on orbit and that could contribute for the development of new cultivars of this biofuel plant. In this particular experiment, different treatments are combined, including different sources of tissues as explants for generating undifferentiated cells, different genotypes of Jatropha, different culture media, and different culture systems.

    ^ back to top


    Applications

    Space Applications

    This investigation is part of a series of investigations conducted on board the ISS to provide the foundation for use of the ISS as a National Laboratory following assembly complete.

    Earth Applications

    The long-term goal of this project is to enhance the ability to introduce new genetic information into cells and to examine the effects of space flight on the normal differentiation and function of undifferentiated plant cells. The J. curcas plant, which is also known as the "physic nut" is a small tree from the Euphorbiaceae family that produces seeds from which oil can be extracted for use as biofuel. It has been demonstrated that J. curcas is a feasible species for the commercial production of biodiesel. The oil is of excellent quality and amenable also for jet fuel mixes. J. curcas is a tropical plant with an oil content of about 38% within the seeds. However, J. curcas is not currently being cultivated as a crop, since no commercial cultivars exist. Therefore the development of J. curcas cultivars with improved characteristics is highly desirable. Such studies can contribute for the development of US-based new cultivars of an alternative energy crop that can be readily available to US farmers while contributing towards energy independence from fossil fuel sources.

    ^ back to top


    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    The experiment is placed inside CGBA-5 on station once the shuttle docks. At that point the samples are temperature controlled until they are ready for return to Earth via STS-134. There are seven GAPs with eight petri dishes each and two additional GAPs with eight FPAs. One of these two GAPs with FPAs is activated and terminated while on board the ISS.

    Operational Protocols

    The seven Petri GAPs remain stowed inside CGBA under temperature control while on board the ISS. The one FPA GAP is activated by a crew member at a given point once on board the ISS. At a predetermined time frame after activation, the crewmember again accesses the one activated GAP with FPAs and terminates the experiment. This GAP is returned to CGBA with the other eight GAPs for return to Earth via STS-134.

    ^ back to top


    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

    ^ back to top


    Related Web Sites

    ^ back to top


    Publications

    Results Publications

      ^ back to top


      Ground Based Results Publications

        ^ back to top


        ISS Patent Publications

          ^ back to top


          ISS Spinoffs Publications

            ^ back to top


            Related Publications

              ^ back to top


              Images

              imageSeedlings of J. curcas in greenhouse prior to transplanting to field. Seeds of J. curcas are germinated and grown in greenhouse for 4-6 weeks prior to being transplanted to the field. Image courtesy of Dr. Wagner A Vendrame, University of Florida, Homestead, FL.
              + View Larger Image


              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.
              › Back To Top