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The impact of space environment on gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings

Science China Technological Sciences volume 60, pages 902–910 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

One of the important questions in space biology is the mechanisms underlying plant responses to an outer space environment, i.e., how gene expression is altered in space. In this study, the transcriptome of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings was analyzed as a part of Germany SIMBOX (science in microgravity box) spaceflight experiment on Shenzhou 8 spacecraft. This experiment involved the following treatments: spaceflight with microgravity (F μg), spaceflight with 1g centrifugal force (F 1g), and ground 1g control (G 1g). Gene chips were used to screen gene expression differences in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings among these treatments. Microarray analysis revealed that 621 genes were differentially expressed in samples F μg vs. G 1g, 249 genes in samples F 1g vs. G 1g, and 368 genes in samples F μg vs. F 1g. Gene ontology analysis indicated that the genes were involved in metabolism of stress response, gravitropic response, and DNA damage and repair, suggesting that plants adjust these metabolic pathways to space environmental stress, microgravity, and radiation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Molecular Biological Laboratory, China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing, 100190, China

    HuaSheng Li, JinYing Lu, Hui Zhao, Qiao Sun, Yu Chen, Liang Su & Min Liu

  2. Department of Plant Nutrition, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    FuTong Yu

  3. Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Yi Pan & Min Liu

Authors
  1. HuaSheng Li
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  2. JinYing Lu
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  3. Hui Zhao
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  4. Qiao Sun
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  5. FuTong Yu
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  6. Yi Pan
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  7. Yu Chen
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  8. Liang Su
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  9. Min Liu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Min Liu.

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These authors contributed equally to this work

Electronic supplementary material

11431_2016_232_MOESM1_ESM.doc

Differentially expressed genes (fold change >5) in samples of three treatments. Note: “a” represents 18 common genes in three treatments which expression were significant changed. “-” represents cannot get the reliable value

11431_2016_232_MOESM2_ESM.doc

Agarose gel analysis of extracted RNA from ground control (G 1g) on-board 1g centrifuge (F 1g), spaceflight (F μg) samples, front and rear CC (Culture Chamber)

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Li, H., Lu, J., Zhao, H. et al. The impact of space environment on gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 60, 902–910 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-016-0232-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-016-0232-7

Keywords

  • Arabidopsis thaliana
  • space flight
  • microgravity
  • microarray
  • gene expression profile