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Abstract Detail


Tropisms

Kiss, John [1], Kumar, Prem [2], Correll, Melanie J. [3], Mullen, Jack L. [4], Hangarter, Roger [4], Edelmann, Richard E. [2].

Phototropism in space.

The interaction among tropisms is important in determining the final growth form of a plant. We have studied the interactions between gravitropism and phototropism in a series of experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) in October and December 2006 . Specifically, we investigated the role of the phytochrome family of photoreceptors in modulating tropisms in seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana. The experiments were performed in a lab facility termed the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS), which provides an incubator with atmospheric control, lighting, and high resolution video. The EMCS also has two rotating centrifuge platforms so that our experiments were done in microgravity and at normal 1-g (control). The experimental time line consisted of: hydration of seeds, growth phase in white LED’s so that oriented seedlings develop, stimulation phase in which seedlings are exposed to red or blue LED’s at an angle perpendicular to the original growth axis, and harvesting of seedlings by freezing at -80oC at the end of the experiment. Growth and tropistic curvature were recorded on video tapes. Following the spaceflight experiments, frozen seedlings and video tapes were returned to earth on the space shuttle. Gene profiling via micoarrays will be performed on the frozen samples, and image analysis of the tropisms in roots and hypocotyls of young seedlings is in progress. In this paper, we will report on the initial results of the studies on tropistic curvature. Our hypothesis is that there will be a greater expression of root phototropism in microgravity and that phytochromes play a major role in this response.


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Related Links:
NASA web site with a description of spaceflight experiment (TROPI for tropisms)


1 - Miami Univ., Botany, Oxford, OH, 45056
2 - Miami Univ., Botany
3 - Univ. Florida, Agricult. & Biol. Engineering
4 - Indiana Univ., Biology

Keywords:
phototropism
gravitropism
Phytochrome.

Presentation Type: Plant Biology Abstract
Session: P
Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton
Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: P32001
Abstract ID:170


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