Euglena , a Gravitactic Flagellate of Multiple Usages

• Published in: Life (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 12; no. 10; p. 1522
• Main Authors: Häder, Donat-P, Hemmersbach, Ruth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 29-09-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Adenylate cyclase; Algae; Calcium; Calcium channels; Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide removal; Cell division; Channels; Chloroplasts; Cyanobacteria; Euglena; Flagella; flagellate; Food; graviperception; gravitational biology; Gravitational physiology; gravitaxis; Hypotheses; Impact analysis; In situ resources utilization; Inflammation; Kinases; Life support systems; Lipids; Molecular motors; Motility; Oxidants; Oxidizing agents; Oxygen; Phosphorylation; Photoreceptors; Photosynthesis; Protein kinase A; Proteins; Radiation; regenerative life support system; Review; Sensory transduction; Signal transduction; Space missions; Stigma; Trace elements; Trace elements (nutrients); Vitamins; Euglena; gravitational biology; regenerative life support system; graviperception; in situ resource utilisation; gravitaxis; flagellate; lunar habitat; Mars exploration
• ISSN: 2075-1729; 2075-1729
• DOI: 10.3390/life12101522

Human exploration of space and other celestial bodies bears a multitude of challenges. The Earth-bound supply of material and food is restricted, and in situ resource utilisation (ISRU) is a prerequisite. Excellent candidates for delivering several services are unicellular algae, such as the space-approved flagellate
. This review summarizes the main characteristics of this unicellular organism.
has been exposed on various platforms that alter the impact of gravity to analyse its corresponding gravity-dependent physiological and molecular genetic responses. The sensory transduction chain of gravitaxis in
has been identified. The molecular gravi-(mechano-)receptors are mechanosensory calcium channels (TRP channels). The inward gated calcium binds specifically to one of several calmodulins (CaM.2), which, in turn, activates an adenylyl cyclase. This enzyme uses ATP to produce cAMP, which induces protein kinase A, followed by the phosphorylation of a motor protein in the flagellum, initiating a course correction, and, finally, resulting in gravitaxis. During long space missions, a considerable amount of food, oxygen, and water has to be carried, and the exhaled carbon dioxide has to be removed. In this context,
is an excellent candidate for biological life support systems, since it produces oxygen by photosynthesis, takes up carbon dioxide, and is even edible. Various species and mutants of
are utilized as a producer of commercial food items, as well as a source of medicines, as it produces a number of vitamins, contains numerous trace elements, and synthesizes dietary proteins, lipids, and the reserve molecule paramylon.
has anti-inflammatory, -oxidant, and -obesity properties.