Mutagenesis of E. coli in Microgravity

Abstract:

Variation in gene expression of Escherichia coli (E. coli), treated to micro-gravity, is analyzed to discover the change of microbial metabolism and the adaptation mechanism in microgravity using Microarray Gene Expression Profiles and Mass Spectrometry Analysis. In this article the strain was cultured in a rotator for several days and the mutant with advanced logarithmic phase in growth curve was screened and selected for Microarray Gene Expression Profiles and Mass Spectrometry Analysis. One hundred and fourteen differentially expressed genes are shown in Microarray Gene Expression Profiles of the mutant, and among them 99 were up-regulated expressions. The up-regulated expressions mainly appeared in ABC transporter, sugar metabolism, 3-carboxylic acid metabolism, phosphotransferase system, nucleic acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, etc. The result was verified through protein analysis with mass spectrometry. Suggesting that microgravity processing may accelerate microbial growth, and the advanced growth of the strain resulted from the up-regulated gene expression. The strain can adapt to spatial environments by affecting genes related to microbial metabolism.

Key words:Escherichia coli, Microarray, Mass Spectrometry analysis, Microgravity mutation