Advanced Plant EXperiment-08 (APEX-08)

Compounds known as polyamines contribute to plant stress mitigation on Earth, and plants grown in microgravity display evidence of stress at the morphological level and gene-expression changes suggestive of stress response. Advanced Plant EXperiment-08 (APEX-08) examines the role of these compounds in these plant responses to microgravity in Arabidopsis thaliana. Results could provide insights into the mechanisms plants use to modulate the stress of microgravity.

Delivery to the International Space Station via SpaceX Commercial Resupply Service Mission-23 (SpX-23)

The Advanced Plant EXperiment-08 (APEX-08) investigation focuses on testing the hypothesis that a failure of plants to activate a polyamine synthesis pathway under microgravity may be responsible for increased sensitivity to the stressful environment encountered during spaceflight. Therefore, it should be possible to partially mitigate plant stress response to microgravity by artificially manipulating the pool of polyamines through genetic engineering means.

This investigation tests the capability to engineer plants that grow better in microgravity. Since plants have important potential for use in bioregenerative life support systems for long-term missions, results could help support future space exploration.

The polyamine metabolic and response pathways are important in plant response to stress on Earth. By providing insights into the mechanisms that contribute to this process, this investigation could help improve agriculture, horticulture, and forestry practices to benefit people on Earth.

Space Station Research Explorer