Astronauts lose about 1% of their bone density per month in the microgravity of the ISS. Now a team of researchers think they have an option– have the astronauts eat more salad.
Lettuce, which is frequently utilized as a basis for salads, isnt particularly advantageous to bone density in its normal type. A peptide piece called human parathyroid hormone (PTH) is. It can stimulate bone growth that might fight osteopenia, the bone density loss related to low gravity environments. Usually, PTH is taken by injection, however that is most likely not practical on area objectives– the serum and syringes needed to supply the essential quantity of the medication would be prohibitively costly to introduce.
They presented their research study at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in March.
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Media Release for the ACS briefing.Credit– American Chemical Society
To develop this transgenic lettuce, the team turned to a basic strategy to offer a plant a particular gene– they contaminated it with a germs referred to as Agrobacterium tumefaciens. In initial research studies, the bacteria appeared to do its job well, causing the lettuce to produce between 10-12 milligrams of PTH per kilogram. At the current level, each astronaut would have to eat about 8 cups of lettuce each day to get enough PTH to stave off bone loss, which Yates admitted was a “pretty big salad.”.
A benefit genetically modified crops have is that scientists can select stress with the highest rate of the particular they are looking for and continue to attempt to improve that finest strain. Yates and his colleagues hope to do that with the lettuce they developed, possibly boosting its output significantly..
Lettuce will not be the only leafy green up in area. Credit– TPU.
Once they discover a stress they more than happy with, they will wish to check it on the space station. This would not be the very first time astronauts have actually grown lettuce on the ISS, but it is worth examining whether this modified strain suffers from any debilitating negative effects in microgravity. Assuming that it does not, it would be fairly easy and low-cost to launch the tiny seeds, which might eventually become full-blown lettuce to produce the PTH..
Space isnt the only place this type of lettuce might be practical– there are locations on Earth that suffer from an absence of traditional medicine, and an absence of PTH could trigger degenerative bone disease in those populations. Instead of attempting a enormous and continuous medication effort in these parts of the world, this new lettuce pressure could lower bone density loss in their populations.
If it helps them stave off a devastating bone condition, so much the much better.
Discover More: ACS– Space-grown lettuce might help astronauts prevent bone lossBerliner et al– Space Bioprocess Engineering on the HorizonUT– Space Stations Veggies Are “Grow” to LaunchUT– Gardening for the Moon.
Lead Image: Image of the genetically modified lettuce that produced bone-stimulating hormones.Credit– Kevin Yates.
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Normally, PTH is taken by injection, but that is most likely not feasible on area objectives– the serum and syringes required to supply the necessary amount of the medication would be prohibitively costly to introduce.
If it helps them stave off a debilitating bone condition, so much the much better.
All kinds of difficulties will face the very first people to take a trip to Mars. Astronauts lose about 1% of their bone density per month in the microgravity of the ISS. Now a team of researchers think they have a solution– have the astronauts consume more salad.
