Event Title
Dinoflagellates (Bioluminescent Phytoplankton): A Study of Enzyme Kinetics in Microgravity
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Location
Clifford Hall, Room 210
Document Type
presentation
Start Date
9-5-2019 1:30 PM
End Date
9-5-2019 1:45 PM
Description
Biochemical pathways evolved under Earth gravity conditions. A growing number of studies are revealing how changes at the cellular level occur in response to the microgravity environment. However, a comprehensive understanding of these changes and their effects remain a long way off and detailed study on how the microgravity environment affects enzyme kinetics remains largely undetermined. Some longer duration studies have revealed upregulation of proteins and even production of enzymes that were never demonstrated to be present in the proteome of the model organism on Earth. Other studies have shown that protein conformations can alter in microgravity. Understanding these cellular shifts and their physiological effects on organism health and viability is crucial to transitioning from short duration to long duration spaceflight missions.
The objective of this study is to clarify how microgravity influences biochemical processes by investigating the alteration of the luciferin-luciferase bioluminescent pathway of the Dinoflagellate species Pyrocystis fusiformis. Dinoflagellates are non-motile, photosynthetic microorganisms which live in marine environments and produce bioluminescence.
Here, we investigate enzyme kinetics of the bioluminescent pathway in Dinoflagellates. The Dinoflagellates are stimulated to trigger their bioluminescent pathway involving their luciferinluciferase 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 fields including biomedical, biotechnical, and spaceflight applications.
Dinoflagellates (Bioluminescent Phytoplankton): A Study of Enzyme Kinetics in Microgravity
Clifford Hall, Room 210
Biochemical pathways evolved under Earth gravity conditions. A growing number of studies are revealing how changes at the cellular level occur in response to the microgravity environment. However, a comprehensive understanding of these changes and their effects remain a long way off and detailed study on how the microgravity environment affects enzyme kinetics remains largely undetermined. Some longer duration studies have revealed upregulation of proteins and even production of enzymes that were never demonstrated to be present in the proteome of the model organism on Earth. Other studies have shown that protein conformations can alter in microgravity. Understanding these cellular shifts and their physiological effects on organism health and viability is crucial to transitioning from short duration to long duration spaceflight missions.
The objective of this study is to clarify how microgravity influences biochemical processes by investigating the alteration of the luciferin-luciferase bioluminescent pathway of the Dinoflagellate species Pyrocystis fusiformis. Dinoflagellates are non-motile, photosynthetic microorganisms which live in marine environments and produce bioluminescence.
Here, we investigate enzyme kinetics of the bioluminescent pathway in Dinoflagellates. The Dinoflagellates are stimulated to trigger their bioluminescent pathway involving their luciferinluciferase 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 fields including biomedical, biotechnical, and spaceflight applications.