NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
The influence of microgravity and spaceflight on columella cell ultrastructure in starch-deficient mutants of ArabidopsisThe ultrastructure of root cap columella cells was studied by morphometric analysis in wild-type, a reduced-starch mutant, and a starchless mutant of Arabidopsis grown in microgravity (F-microgravity) and compared to ground 1g (G-1g) and flight 1g (F-1g) controls. Seedlings of the wild-type and reduced-starch mutant that developed during an experiment on the Space Shuttle (both the F-microgravity samples and the F-lg control) exhibited a decreased starch content in comparison to the G-1g control. These results suggest that some factor associated with spaceflight (and not microgravity per se) affects starch metabolism. Elevated levels of ethylene were found during the experiments on the Space Shuttle, and analysis of ground controls with added ethylene demonstrated that this gas was responsible for decreased starch levels in the columella cells. This is the first study to use an on-board centrifuge as a control when quantifying starch in spaceflight-grown plants. Furthermore, our results show that ethylene levels must be carefully considered and controlled when designing experiments with plants for the International Space Station.
Document ID
20040141796
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Guisinger, M. M.
(Miami University Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States)
Kiss, J. Z.
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1999
Publication Information
Publication: American journal of botany
Volume: 86
Issue: 10
ISSN: 0002-9122
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
manned
Flight Experiment
short duration
NASA Discipline Plant Biology
Non-NASA Center
NASA Experiment Number 9403063
STS-84 Shuttle Project

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available