7.11 High-Resolution Imaging of Plant Cells in Altered
Gravity
Transcriptomic analyses performed over the years have generated a tremendous
amount of data about genes differentially regulated under various gravity conditions.
However, it is not known in which tissues and cells these genes are expressed and
whether resulting proteins dynamically respond to changes in gravity vector. These
questions are beginning to find answers thanks to new advanced microscopy techniques and protocols. A correlation between gene expression analysis and protein
subcellular localization was shown recently in mammalian FTC-133 cancer cells
expressing the LifeAct-GFP marker protein for the visualization of F-actin, using the
compact fluorescence microscope (FLUMIAS) for fast live-cell imaging under real
microgravity as provided by a parabolic flight and sounding rocket (Corydon et al.
2016). More specific tools such as the iRoCS (intrinsic root coordinate system),
which now enables direct and quantitative comparison between the root tips of plant
populations at single-cell resolution (Schmidt et al. 2014), are needed and will for
sure allow to combine omics with imaging data.
7.12 Outlook
Space biology offers unique platforms for plant biology to study the molecular
mechanisms of adaptive behavior in plants. According to the roadmap of several
space agencies, plants will be an integrated part of human space exploration,
providing biologically based life support for food, water recycling and health. The
EU funded CEADSE (Controlled Environment Agriculture Development for Space
and Earth) project for instance has developed interesting hardware for future spacebased bioregenerative life support systems which may in future not only provide a
useful prototype platform for plant growth in space on the ISS but also other extreme
environments like Antarctica (https://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/182930_en.html).
However, as well as plants helping us to explore the mysteries of space, space
travel is uniquely placed to help us explore the mysteries of plants. The influence of
gravity over plant stature is pervasive and difficult to understand in experimental
environments in which it cannot be removed. If we are able to understand the
molecular events which shape plant stature in the hope that we may one day be
able to design platforms more suited to highly artificial modern agricultural settings,
we must first fully understand them. Microgravity experiments have, in this context,
the potential to be used as an exceptionally useful tool for the fine dissection of
sensitive pathways which, on Earth, lie hidden.
7.12 Outlook
105
Gravity
Transcriptomic analyses performed over the years have generated a tremendous
amount of data about genes differentially regulated under various gravity conditions.
However, it is not known in which tissues and cells these genes are expressed and
whether resulting proteins dynamically respond to changes in gravity vector. These
questions are beginning to find answers thanks to new advanced microscopy techniques and protocols. A correlation between gene expression analysis and protein
subcellular localization was shown recently in mammalian FTC-133 cancer cells
expressing the LifeAct-GFP marker protein for the visualization of F-actin, using the
compact fluorescence microscope (FLUMIAS) for fast live-cell imaging under real
microgravity as provided by a parabolic flight and sounding rocket (Corydon et al.
2016). More specific tools such as the iRoCS (intrinsic root coordinate system),
which now enables direct and quantitative comparison between the root tips of plant
populations at single-cell resolution (Schmidt et al. 2014), are needed and will for
sure allow to combine omics with imaging data.
7.12 Outlook
Space biology offers unique platforms for plant biology to study the molecular
mechanisms of adaptive behavior in plants. According to the roadmap of several
space agencies, plants will be an integrated part of human space exploration,
providing biologically based life support for food, water recycling and health. The
EU funded CEADSE (Controlled Environment Agriculture Development for Space
and Earth) project for instance has developed interesting hardware for future spacebased bioregenerative life support systems which may in future not only provide a
useful prototype platform for plant growth in space on the ISS but also other extreme
environments like Antarctica (https://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/182930_en.html).
However, as well as plants helping us to explore the mysteries of space, space
travel is uniquely placed to help us explore the mysteries of plants. The influence of
gravity over plant stature is pervasive and difficult to understand in experimental
environments in which it cannot be removed. If we are able to understand the
molecular events which shape plant stature in the hope that we may one day be
able to design platforms more suited to highly artificial modern agricultural settings,
we must first fully understand them. Microgravity experiments have, in this context,
the potential to be used as an exceptionally useful tool for the fine dissection of
sensitive pathways which, on Earth, lie hidden.
7.12 Outlook
105