Genomic response of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to spaceflight.

On Earth, it is common to employ laboratory animals such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to help understand human health concerns. Similar studies in Earth orbit should help understand and address the concerns associated with spaceflight. The "International Caenorhabditis elegans Experiment FIRST" (ICE FIRST), was carried out onboard the Dutch Taxiflight in April of 2004 by an international collaboration of laboratories in France, Canada, Japan and the United States.

Decreased expression of myogenic transcription factors and myosin heavy chains in Caenorhabditis elegans muscles developed during spaceflight.

The molecular mechanisms underlying muscle atrophy during spaceflight are not well understood. We have analyzed the effects of a 10-day spaceflight on Caenorhabditis elegans muscle development. DNA microarray, real-time quantitative PCR, and quantitative western blot analyses revealed that the amount of MHC in both body-wall and pharyngeal muscle decrease in response to spaceflight.

Influence of simulated microgravity on the activation of the small GTPase Rho involved in cytoskeletal formation--molecular cloning and sequencing of bovine leukemia-associated guanine nucleotide exchange factor.

Background: The irregular formation of cytoskeletal fibers in spaceflown experimental cells has been observed, but the disorganization process of fibers is still poorly understood. It is well known that the activation of the small GTPase Rho leads to actin stress fibers assembly. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of simulated microgravity on the activation of Rho that is involved in actin fiber remodeling in cells.

[Change of the gene expression related to a cytoskeleton cultured under gravity-vector changing].

Many researches to elucidate the mechanism of gravity sense and its response in the living cells have been advanced. But it has not yet identified that key molecule or signal transduction pathway related to gravity sense and its response. Our goal is to clarify the mechanism of gravity sense, especially the point of gravity sense.