Stress proteins and Rubisco activity of tropical plants in space research
- Paper number
IAC-08.A1.5.2
- Author
Mrs. Irina Kosakivska, Institute of Botany by M.G.Kholodny of NASU, Ukraine
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Higher plants are necessary components of human environment. Therefore methods for the cultivation of plants in space must be developed as part of biological life-support systems for astronauts. We attempted to select plants which have biological and other characteristics suitable to weightlessness and other unfavorable factors. After preliminary screening we examined epiphytic orchid Epidendrum radicans and tropical plants Aglaonema modestum, Rhoicissus rhomboidea and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis . Plants were maintained for a 60 minutes on a horizontal clinostat at 3 rpm. It was shown that after clinostating 70, 81 and 97 kD stress proteins synthesized in leaves of Epidendrum radicans together with intensification in biosynthesis of 52, 19, 18,5, 17,5 and 16 kD HSP. The proteins spectrum of Aglaonema modestum leaves was practically unchangeable. 69 and 71 kD HSP synthesized in leaves of Rh. rhomboidea . Biosynthesis of small molecular weight HSP 22, 18,5, 18, 17 and 16 kD and high molecular weight HSP 81, 88 and 97 kD took a place in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaves. Activity of Rubisco was determined in Epidendrum radicans leaves after long period (171, 60 and 20 days) and short (60 minutes) horizontal clinostating. It was shown that during first 60 minutes of stress the carboxylase activity of enzyme became lower more than four times. Stabilization of Rubisco activity had a place at next time and this together with a synthesis of stress proteins may be a reason for the tolerance of Epidendrum radicans in space conditions.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
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