Experiment

The third session of CsPINs experiment has started

All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)

The third session of Dynamism of Auxin Efflux Facilitators, CsPINs, responsible for Gravity-regulated Growth and Development in Cucumber (CsPINs)*, which uses the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) on board Kibo, has started.

*Principal Investigator (PI): Hideyuki Takahashi, Professor, Tohoku University

CsPINs experiment sessions consist of a total of eight experiments in four sessions. The first session was performed for four days, from April 26 to 29, 2011, of which two experiments were conducted. In the second session, three experiments were performed from June 26 to July 15, 2011. Each result is being analyzed. The session performing this time is the third session of CsPINs experiment which started at 0:57 a.m. on April 5, 2012, will last for two days. Time for the remaining fourth session including two experiments is now being coordinated.

CsPINs is a protein group that controls activity and distribution of Auxin, a plant hormone, which has an essential role in coordinating growth and behavioral processes of a plant's life cycle. This experiment focuses on CsPIN1, which is assumed to be involved in gravimorphogenesis* in plant, and CsPIN5, which is assumed to be involved in hydrotropism, and it aims at the understanding of their activities. To be more precise, cucumber seeds are set and germinated in CBEF on board Kibo in various conditions, with gravity or microgravity, or with different water volume. Statuses for CsPIN1 and CsPIN5 that exist in cucumber roots at each growth stage will be studied.

* Morphogenesis is the biological process that causes a new tissue or organ to form into an organism by heterogenesis or celluar differentiation while gravimorphogenesis is the formation by the gravitational effect as a plant root grows downward.

If these protein activities are understood, the findings will be applied to the root growth orientation control or plant organ formation control. It is hoped that the control techniques will eventually be applied to the agricultural technology for space plant factories in the future.

Special Message from PI, Prof. Hideyuki Takahashi, Tohoku University

CsPINs experiment sessions consist of two parts, hydrotropism and peg formation and is divided into eight experiments. The first session started last April, after the Great East Japan Earthquake. This third session is the last experiment for root hydrotropism. Since this experiment finally comes true thanks to many people's effort and cooperation, I'm crossing my fingers for the success and safe return of samples.

*All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)