Resistance of the anhydrobiotic eutardigrade Paramacrobiotus richtersi to space flight (LIFE-TARSE mission on FOTON-M3)

The project ‘TArdigrade Resistance to Space Effects (TARSE)’ analysed the effects of space microgravity and radiations stresses on the eutardigrade Paramacrobiotus richtersi allowing, for the first time, a comparison between hydrated and desiccated animals. TARSE experiments were part of the mission...

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Veröffentlicht in:Journal of zoological systematics and evolutionary research 2011-05, Vol.49 (s1), p.98-103
Hauptverfasser: Rebecchi, Lorena, Altiero, Tiziana, Cesari, Michele, Bertolani, Roberto, Rizzo, Angela M., Corsetto, Paola A., Guidetti, Roberto
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:The project ‘TArdigrade Resistance to Space Effects (TARSE)’ analysed the effects of space microgravity and radiations stresses on the eutardigrade Paramacrobiotus richtersi allowing, for the first time, a comparison between hydrated and desiccated animals. TARSE experiments were part of the mission LIFE on FOTON‐M3 that flew at an altitude between 250 and 290 km (Low‐Earth Orbit) for 12 days in September 2007. The experimental units of the TARSE project were housed in the BIOKON facility installed inside the Russian spacecraft FOTON‐M3. In this paper, data on survival rate, Hsps expression (70 and 90 kDa) and genomic DNA integrity (double‐strand breaks) of flown desiccated animals, and from specimens of ground control experiments are presented. For the flown experiments, microcosms of dry leaf litter collected in the field containing naturally desiccated specimens and blot filter papers containing specimens desiccated in laboratory under controlled conditions were used. After the space flight, desiccated animals had high survival rates (from 79% to 95%) showing a similar survival rate to that observed in ground controls. No visible damages to double‐strand genomic DNA were observed in all desiccated samples, whereas Hsp70 and Hsp90 levels of flown tardigrades were higher than those of ground controls. These data combined with earlier published results on hydrated specimens of P. richtersi indicate that tardigrades have the ability to tolerate for a short time period stresses typical of the extraterrestrial environment such as microgravity and radiations. Riassunto Il progetto ‘TArdigrade Resistance to Space Effects (TARSE)’ analizza l’effetto della microgravità e delle radiazioni sull’eutardigrado Paramacrobiotus richtersi consentendo, per la prima volta, il confronto fra tardigradi in due diverse condizioni fisiologiche, attivi (idratati) e secchi. Durante la missione spaziale ‘LIFE on FOTON‐M3’, i campioni del progetto TARSE hanno volato per 12 giorni nello spazio ad una altitudine compresa fra 250‐290 km. Gli esperimenti del progetto TARSE erano collocati nella facility BIOKON installata a bordo della capsula russa FOTON‐M3. In questo lavoro vengono presentati i dati sulla sopravvivenza, sull’espressione di Hsps e sulla integrità del DNA dei tardigradi che hanno volato in anidrobiosi (secchi) e dei corrispondenti controlli a terra. In particolare, sono stati utilizzati microcosmi di lettiera secca contenente esemplari di P. richtersi essiccati in natur
ISSN:0947-5745
1439-0469
DOI:10.1111/j.1439-0469.2010.00606.x