How Astronauts' DNA Adaptations in Space Could Revolutionize Earth's Medical Treatments

     A study found significant genetic changes in astronauts due to prolonged exposure to microgravity. These changes include the dysregulation of 11 genes related to immune function, DNA repair, and cancer progression. This is a result of the unique environmental stressors of space, such as increased radiation and altered gravitational forces, which affect cellular and molecular structures. Understanding these genetic shifts is crucial for developing countermeasures to protect astronauts and could also offer insights into medical treatments for related conditions on Earth. Researchers can discover how specific genes are influenced under extreme conditions. This knowledge can be used to repurpose existing drugs or develop new treatments that target similar genetic pathways in diseases on Earth, such as immune disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, and cancer, potentially enhancing their effectiveness or reducing side effects.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams floating in the ISS

    I think studying the genetic changes in astronauts due to microgravity is interesting because it opens up the potential for groundbreaking medical advances on Earth. By understanding how genes adapt in extreme environments, scientists can identify new targets for drug development or repurpose existing medications to better treat diseases that involve similar genetic pathways. This research not only benefits astronaut health but could also lead to innovative treatments for serious conditions, enhancing healthcare outcomes across the globe.

Links:

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/science/article/genetic-changes-in-astronauts-could-help-treat-disease-on-earth-nh836nt3f#:~:text=By%20identifying%20common%20genes%20whose,disorders%2C%20neurodegenerative%20conditions%2C%20cardiovascular%20issues

https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/hazards/#:~:text=These%20include%20space%20radiation%2C%20isolation,and%20closed%20or%20hostile%20environments.

Bacteria Mutations In Space

"The International Space Station (ISS) is the most complex international scientific and engineering project in history and the largest structure humans have ever put into space. This high-flying satellite is a laboratory for new technologies and an observation platform for astronomical, environmental and geological research."

 Bacteria cultured and grown on the International Space Station have been found to be less affected by antibiotics and more virulent that those that were grown here on Earth. This is due to the pressure that is caused by being within a microgravity environment and having population genetics come into play tin that the stronger mutants are surviving. it's important to do tests in microgravity due to putting out astronauts in space and making sure that the environment is a safe place for them to be. That's why a lot of the research on the International Space Station includes model organisms and things like bacteria to protect us humans.

"This new gene expression data therefore provides additional evidence that the altered behavior of bacteria in space results from decreased gravity driving reduced extracellular transport of molecules. Future spaceflight experiments that examine a variety of other bacterial species under differing growth conditions could help explain changes in bacterial growth and virulence that could significantly affect people living in space."

I think that it is wonderful that we have engineered an environment for this type of genetic testing that can further our health field Simply by taking a microarray we can identify changes that occur within other organisms that we put up into a microgravity environment and then be able to monitor ourselves in space and know how long we should be exposed in space before it becomes unhealthy. I see a lot of work going to be with cancer research, studying cell growth, and studying mutants within this environment.

Plants Return to Earth after Growing in Space

     More than one thousand plants were put into deep freeze and sent to the International Space Station in order to determine the effect of microgravity on plant growth. As the plants are thawed, their RNA will be sampled using an instrument that will determine the activity of their approximately 30,000 genes. Gravity itself is a force that strongly affects biology, as humans who spend a prolonged period of time in space show decreased bone mass as it is not required to support weight. Similarly, plants that are grown in low-gravity environments grow taller and thinner, and tend to have less structural support.

     Genes produce RNA which then code for separate proteins in the genetic process called transcription. By observing the genetic expression of plants grown in microgravity versus an identical group grown on Earth, the influence of microgravity on plant genes can be determined. It has been shown that plants grown with a lack of physical adversity, such as rain or wind, tend to be less strong and are more susceptible to diseases and pests. Plants grown in space tend to be more vulnerable to diseases due to the same mechanism. Therefore, by determining how to grow plants in space that are resistant to disease, it will be easier to provide food and oxygen for astronauts in the near future.

     I find this article interesting because it directly relates genetic expression to physical adversity. As scientists are able to determine how to grow plants that are less susceptible to disease, it will become more efficient to send astronauts to the International Space Station. In addition, astronauts will be able to go on longer trips if they can produce their own food without worry, meaning that humans will be able to explore more of space after this experiment is completed.

Source: Plants Return to Earth after Growing in Space