Dinoflagellates (Bioluminescent Phytoplankton): A Study of Enzyme Kinetics in Microgravity

Clifford Hall, Room 210

Biochemical pathways in cells evolved under Earth gravity conditions. However, when exposed to microgravity environments, these pathways can differ due to alterations in protein conformation and concentration. Detailed study on how the microgravity environment affects enzyme kinetics remains largely unresearched. Here, we investigate enzyme kinetics of the bioluminescent pathway in Dinoflagellates. The Dinoflagellates are stimulated to trigger their bioluminescent pathway involving their luciferin-luciferase reaction during a microgravity flight. The intensity and wavelength of the light is measured and compared to a ground control. Bioluminescence was chosen for this study both to elucidate enzymatic pathway changes during microgravity exposure and as it pertains to a growing number of field including biomedical, biotechnical, and spaceflight applications.