Meet the team: Hypercropsidants
In brief
Plants and all living organisms have evolved and adapted to the 1g level on earth, which plants use to optimize the capture of water, light, and mineral salts. Gravity is the only variable which has remained almost constant on earth since life appeared on the surface. Spin Your Thesis! team Hypercropsidants is interested in which way hyper-gravity affects the gene expression of certain genes within plants.
In-depth
Update 08/05/2023: The final report is available! Discover what the team has achieved here.
Team Hypercropsidants is made up of four bachelor level students studying green biotechnology at Inholland university of applied sciences in Amsterdam. Their goal is to study the effects of hyper-gravity on the gene expression of microcrops, the seedlings of adult crops. These microcrops have a higher nutritional content than is found in their mature counterparts. Due to their high nutrient and antioxidant contents, microcrops are a desired food source and a viable candidate for crew members on long duration space flights.
To achieve their goals of understanding what the effects of hyper-gravity are on gene expression the students performed literature studies and consulted experts to decide on which genes they would focus their research. One of the genes they have great interest in is involved in the biosynthesis of the antioxidants, Vitamin C. The students selected three crops based on their research that will be cultivated for analysis. Alfa alfa (Medicago sativa), red cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra), and thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana).
Using Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR), the students measure the gene expression of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of the antioxidant. For this, seeds will be germinated after which they will receive a hyper-gravity treatment of 1g, 2g and 4g at the Large Diameter Centrifuge (LDC), part of the ESTEC Life- and Physical Science Instrumentation Laboratory.
Is the team up for this challenge? A board consisting of LDC members, ELGRA (European Low Gravity Research Association) members, and ESA personnel think the team can achieve their goal without spinning out of control, using the support and guidance of the SYT! programme.
If you want to see more updates about team Hypercropsidants, then you can follow the team on their media platforms!
Twitter - https://twitter.com/hypercrops