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GRAVITATIONAL INFLUENCE ON BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING PROCESSES.  D.M. Klaus. BioServe Space Technologies, Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder.

   The concept of characterizing gravity’s influence on biomolecular engineering processes expands upon that of basic space biology research more typically aimed at elucidating how living systems respond to weightlessness.  The specific focus in this case, however, is not so much a function of determining ‘how’ microgravity alters normal biological responses, rather it addresses applied research with an emphasis on how microgravity can be ‘used’ to manipulate processes at the molecular or cellular level to improve a desired outcome.

   Observations regarding fundamental behavior of living systems often form the basis for subsequent applications.  For example, reports dating to the early 1960’s have frequently shown that bacteria cultures tend to fare better in the space environment. This basic observation gave rise to ongoing applied research premised on the hypothesis that secondary metabolite (antibiotic) production will be enhanced as well. Experiments conducted on the US Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) have since borne out various aspects of this supposition. Going up the size scale, applications involving protein crystal growth and tissue engineering are shown to benefit from the quiescent environment of weightlessness, with formation of larger, better quality in vitro samples than are achievable in 1g. Reports of possible gravity-dependent genetic alterations in cell cultures suggest the potential for novel breakthroughs in this field.  Preliminary data from plant research also alludes to various favorable responses to space flight, such as enhanced gene transfer and reduced structural lignin content, which may prove useful for agricultural applications. Finally, rodent studies conducted in space offer new solutions for mitigating bone atrophy, which occurs 6-24x faster in weightlessness than in Type 1 (postmenopausal) osteoporosis patients on Earth.  This rapid rate of loss provides a unique accelerated model for evaluating efficacy of commercial pharmaceuticals intended for terrestrial use, and also promises effective countermeasures for reducing bone loss in astronauts.  (Supported by NASA:  NCC8-242)