The Effect of Gravity on the Genome
In microgravity - the gravity-free environment experienced by astronauts in orbit - DNA repair mechanisms are impacted, leading to severe DNA damage such as double strand breaks, chromosomal aberrations, and micronucleus formation [1]. These effects are propagated throughout the cell, reducing cytoskeletal focal adhesions and increasing rates of apoptosis [2]. Subsequently, the entire human body is affected dramatically. NASA recently concluded a landmark study and found that the microgravity environment leads to bone density loss, cognitive decline, microbial shifts, anemia and changes in vision [3]. While most effects subsided after 6 months on Earth, many changes to the genome persist, including increased numbers of short telomeres and chromosomal inversions [3].
