Rebecchi Lorena, Altiero Tiziana, Guidetti Roberto, Cesari Michele, Bertolani Roberto, Negroni Manuela, Rizzo Angela M
Department of Animal Biology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100, Modena, Italy.
Astrobiology. 2009 Jul-Aug;9(6):581-91. doi: 10.1089/ast.2008.0305.
The Tardigrade Resistance to Space Effects (TARSE) project, part of the mission LIFE on FOTON-M3, analyzed the effects of the space environment on desiccated and active tardigrades. Four experiments were conducted in which the eutardigrade Macrobiotus richtersi was used as a model species. Desiccated (in leaf litter or on paper) and hydrated tardigrades (fed or starved) were flown on FOTON-M3 for 12 days in September 2007, which, for the first time, allowed for a comparison of the effects of the space environment on desiccated and on active animals. In this paper, we report the experimental design of the TARSE project and data on tardigrade survival. In addition, data on survival, genomic DNA integrity, Hsp70 and Hsp90 expressions, antioxidant enzyme contents and activities, and life history traits were compared between hydrated starved tardigrades flown in space and those maintained on Earth as a control. Microgravity and radiation had no effect on survival or DNA integrity of active tardigrades. Hsp expressions between the animals in space and the control animals on Earth were similar. Spaceflight induced an increase of glutathione content and its related enzymatic activities. Catalase and superoxide dismutase decreased with spaceflight, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances did not change. During the flight mission, tardigrades molted, and females laid eggs. Several eggs hatched, and the newborns exhibited normal morphology and behavior.
缓步动物对太空效应的抗性（TARSE）项目是FOTON - M3上生命使命（LIFE）的一部分，该项目分析了太空环境对干燥和活跃状态下的缓步动物的影响。实验使用了真缓步纲的里氏大生熊虫（Macrobiotus richtersi）作为模式物种，进行了四项实验。2007年9月，干燥（置于落叶层或纸张上）和水合状态（喂食或饥饿）的缓步动物搭载FOTON - M3飞行了12天，这首次使得能够比较太空环境对干燥状态和活跃状态动物的影响。在本文中，我们报告了TARSE项目的实验设计以及缓步动物的存活数据。此外，还比较了太空飞行的饥饿水合缓步动物与作为对照留在地球上的同类动物在存活、基因组DNA完整性、热休克蛋白70（Hsp70）和热休克蛋白90（Hsp90）表达、抗氧化酶含量和活性以及生活史特征方面的数据。微重力和辐射对活跃状态的缓步动物的存活或DNA完整性没有影响。太空动物与地球上的对照动物之间的热休克蛋白表达相似。太空飞行导致谷胱甘肽含量及其相关酶活性增加。过氧化氢酶和超氧化物歧化酶随着太空飞行而减少，硫代巴比妥酸反应性物质没有变化。在飞行任务期间，缓步动物蜕皮，雌性产卵。几只卵孵化，新生个体表现出正常的形态和行为。
