Effects of the space environment on Drosophila melanogaster development. Implications of the IML-2 experiment

Marco, Roberto de; Benguría, Alberto; Sánchez, J.; Juan, Emilio de

doi:10.1016/0168-1656(96)01408-3

Cited by 20 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…It is important to point out here that behavioural changes, delays in development, and altered rate of oviposition have been described in several experiments in orbiting spacecraft with Drosophila [43-46]. The final conclusion of those experiments was that normal development is possible in "space" [43-46], despite the microgravity effects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Microgravity simulation by diamagnetic levitation: effects of a strong gradient magnetic field on the transcriptional profile of Drosophila melanogaster

et al. 2012

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BackgroundMany biological systems respond to the presence or absence of gravity. Since experiments performed in space are expensive and can only be undertaken infrequently, Earth-based simulation techniques are used to investigate the biological response to weightlessness. A high gradient magnetic field can be used to levitate a biological organism so that its net weight is zero.ResultsWe have used a superconducting magnet to assess the effect of diamagnetic levitation on the fruit fly D. melanogaster in levitation experiments that proceeded for up to 22 consecutive days. We have compared the results with those of similar experiments performed in another paradigm for microgravity simulation, the Random Positioning Machine (RPM). We observed a delay in the development of the fruit flies from embryo to adult. Microarray analysis indicated changes in overall gene expression of imagoes that developed from larvae under diamagnetic levitation, and also under simulated hypergravity conditions. Significant changes were observed in the expression of immune-, stress-, and temperature-response genes. For example, several heat shock proteins were affected. We also found that a strong magnetic field, of 16.5 Tesla, had a significant effect on the expression of these genes, independent of the effects associated with magnetically-induced levitation and hypergravity.ConclusionsDiamagnetic levitation can be used to simulate an altered effective gravity environment in which gene expression is tuned differentially in diverse Drosophila melanogaster populations including those of different age and gender. Exposure to the magnetic field per se induced similar, but weaker, changes in gene expression.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Microgravity simulation by diamagnetic levitation: effects of a strong gradient magnetic field on the transcriptional profile of Drosophila melanogaster

et al. 2012

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“…Experiments with Drosophila during the IML-2 14.5 day space mission used several thousand eggs that hatched and developed in microgravity. The recovered embryos and flies were normal (Marco et al, 1996). In other experiments there appeared to be a higher death rate of developing flies in microgravity (Li and Wang, 1992;Vernós et al, 1989;Horneck, 1999).…”

Section: Animal Dysmorphologiesmentioning

confidence: 82%

Effects of microgravity on cell cytoskeleton and embryogenesis

Crawford-Young

2006

Int. J. Dev. Biol.

149

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The aim of this review is to compile, summarize and discuss the effects of microgravity on embryos, cell structure and function that have been demonstrated from data obtained during experiments performed in space or in altered gravity induced by clinostats. In cells and tissues cellular structure and genetic expression may be changed in microgravity and this has a variety of effects on embryogenesis which include death of the embryo, failure of neural tube closure, or final deformities to the overall morphology of the newborn or hatchling. Many species and protocols have been used for microgravity space experiments making it difficult to compare results. Experiments on the ways in which embryonic development and cell interactions occur in microgravity could also be performed. Experiments that have been done with cells in microgravity show changes in morphology, cytoskeleton and function. Changes in cytoskeleton have been noted and studies on microtubules in gravity have shown that they are gravity sensitive. Further study of basic chemical reactions that occur in cells should be done to shed some light on the underling processes leading to the changes that are observed in cells and embryos in microgravity.

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“…This normal morphology of flight-born juveniles indicates that weightlessness does not negatively influence the cytoskeletal organization of the tardigrade embryo or egg cleavage. In the absence of gravity, normal development was also observed for eggs of Drosophila melanogaster (see Marco et al, 1992Marco et al, , 1996 and O. latipes, in which space-born fry showed no difference in behavior or, when adult, in reproduction compared with Earth-born individuals (Ijiri, 1998). In contrast, embryos of X. laevis exposed to microgravity showed developmental malformations not seen in their development on Earth (Marthy, 2002).…”

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confidence: 82%

“…TC4). An increase in the number of laid eggs and their size was also documented in D. melanogaster during spaceflight missions (Marco et al, 1992(Marco et al, , 1996.…”

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Tardigrade Resistance to Space Effects: First Results of Experiments on the LIFE-TARSE Mission on FOTON-M3 (September 2007)

et al. 2009

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The Tardigrade Resistance to Space Effects (TARSE) project, part of the mission LIFE on FOTON-M3, analyzed the effects of the space environment on desiccated and active tardigrades. Four experiments were conducted in which the eutardigrade Macrobiotus richtersi was used as a model species. Desiccated (in leaf litter or on paper) and hydrated tardigrades (fed or starved) were flown on FOTON-M3 for 12 days in September 2007, which, for the first time, allowed for a comparison of the effects of the space environment on desiccated and on active animals. In this paper, we report the experimental design of the TARSE project and data on tardigrade survival. In addition, data on survival, genomic DNA integrity, Hsp70 and Hsp90 expressions, antioxidant enzyme contents and activities, and life history traits were compared between hydrated starved tardigrades flown in space and those maintained on Earth as a control. Microgravity and radiation had no effect on survival or DNA integrity of active tardigrades. Hsp expressions between the animals in space and the control animals on Earth were similar. Spaceflight induced an increase of glutathione content and its related enzymatic activities. Catalase and superoxide dismutase decreased with spaceflight, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances did not change. During the flight mission, tardigrades molted, and females laid eggs. Several eggs hatched, and the newborns exhibited normal morphology and behavior.

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Effects of the space environment on Drosophila melanogaster development. Implications of the IML-2 experiment

Cited by 20 publications

References 16 publications

Microgravity simulation by diamagnetic levitation: effects of a strong gradient magnetic field on the transcriptional profile of Drosophila melanogaster

Microgravity simulation by diamagnetic levitation: effects of a strong gradient magnetic field on the transcriptional profile of Drosophila melanogaster

Effects of microgravity on cell cytoskeleton and embryogenesis

Tardigrade Resistance to Space Effects: First Results of Experiments on the LIFE-TARSE Mission on FOTON-M3 (September 2007)

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