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  • Analysis of Growth Characteristics and Differentially Expressed Homologous Genes in Rhodobacter sphaeroides under Normal and Simulated Microgravity Conditions
Title: Analysis of Growth Characteristics and Differentially Expressed Homologous Genes in Rhodobacter sphaeroides under Normal and Simulated Microgravity Conditions
The term “microgravity” is used to describe the “weightlessness” or “zero-g” circumstances that can only be found in space beyond earth’s atmosphere. Rhodobacter sphaeroides is a gram-negative purple phototroph, used as a model organism for this study due to its genomic complexity and metabolic versatility. Its genome has been completely sequenced, and profiles of the differential gene expression under aerobic, semi-aerobic, and photosynthetic conditions were examined. In this study, we hypothesized that R. sphaeroides will show altered growth characteristics, morphological properties, and gene expression patterns when grown under simulated microgravity. To test that, we measured the optical density and colony-forming units of cell cultures grown under both microgravity and normal gravity conditions. Differences in the cell morphology were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images by measuring the length and the surface area of the cells under both conditions. Furthermore, we also identified homologous genes of R. spheroides using the differential gene expression study of Acidovorax under microgravity in our laboratory. Growth kinetics results showed that R. sphaeroides cells grown under microgravity experience a shorter log phase and early stationary phase compared to the cells growing under normal gravity conditions. The length and surface area of the cells under microgravity were significantly higher confirming that bacterial cells experience altered morphological features when grown under microgravity conditions. Differentially expressed homologous gene analysis indicated that genes coding for several COG and GO functions, such as metabolism, signal-transduction, transcription, translation, chemotaxis, and cell motility are differentially expressed to adapt and survive microgravity.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2050232
PAR ID:
10492002
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Scientific Research Publishing
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Advances in Microbiology
Volume:
13
Issue:
11
ISSN:
2165-3402
Page Range / eLocation ID:
539 to 558
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
Simulated Microgravity, Differential Gene Expression, Bacteria, Gene Homology, Space Exploration
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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