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Project Title:  C4 Photosynthesis in Space (C4Space) Reduce
Images: icon  Fiscal Year: FY 2022 
Division: Space Biology 
Research Discipline/Element:
Space Biology: Cell & Molecular Biology   | Plant Biology  
 Start Date: 02/11/2020  
End Date: 02/11/2023  
Task Last Updated: 02/21/2022 		 Download report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Jansson, Christer  Ph.D. / Battelle Memorial Institute (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) 
Address:  Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory 
902 Battelle Blvd, K8-98 
Richland , WA 99354-1793 		 Email: pubudupinipa.handakumbura@pnnl.gov 
Phone: 509-371-6516  
Congressional District: 4 
Web:  
 Organization Type: GOVERNMENT 
Organization Name: Battelle Memorial Institute (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Handakumbura, Pubudu  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Hixson, Kim  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Rivas-Ubach, Albert  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Key Personnel Changes / Previous PI: January 2020: Principal Investigator (PI) Christer Jansson, Ph.D. has retired from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and will be leaving the project. CoInvestigator (CoI) Pubudu Handakumbura, Ph.D. will be taking over the project as PI for the remainder of the grant. Dr. Handakumbura is also with PNNL. December 2020 report: Dr. Brian Stanfill has left Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the project. Dr. Amir Ahkami has left the project due to other commitments.
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Department of Energy IAA 
Responsible Center: NASA KSC 
Grant Monitor: Massa, Gioia  
Center Contact: 321-861-2938 
gioia.massa@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 12729  		Solicitation / Funding Source: 2018 Space Biology (ROSBio) NNH18ZTT001N-FG. App B: Flight and Ground Space Biology Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Department of Energy IAA 
Project Type: FLIGHT 
Flight Program:   		No. of Post Docs:  
No. of PhD Candidates:  
No. of Master's Candidates:  
No. of Bachelor's Candidates:   		No. of PhD Degrees: 5 
No. of Master's Degrees:  
No. of Bachelor's Degrees:  
Space Biology Element: (1) Cell & Molecular Biology
(2) Plant Biology
Space Biology Cross-Element Discipline: None
Space Biology Special Category: None
Task Description: C4 plants like maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) have a more efficient photosynthesis than C3 plants such as wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa) due to a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM). How this CCM and the performance of C4 plants are impacted by space travel is unknown. We propose to compare the impact of space-station conditions on C3 and C4 metabolism using Brachypodium (Brachypodium distachyon) and Setaria (Setaria viridis) as model systems for C3 and C4 plants, respectively, and develop models that describe the molecular mechanisms for how C3 and C4 metabolisms are reprogrammed in the space environment compared to Earth. The obtained information would provide fundamental knowledge about C3 and C4 metabolism in space and could also be leveraged for evaluating the potential for growing small-stature cereal and vegetable C4 crops like foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and Amaranthus sp. for biogenerative support in future space explorations.

Research Impact/Earth Benefits: The research provides fundamental understanding of plant biochemistry in space environments as well as an assessment of the suitability in utilizing C4 crops in biogenerative life support systems in future space explorations.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2022 
Task Progress: During this second year of the project, we have worked with our NASA team to further optimize hardware and protocols. We have optimized the seed surface sterilization protocol, and tested seed viability post sterilization and seed storage. Sterilized Brachypodium and Setaria seeds were provided to the NASA team for parallel ground testing at KSC. Two different growth media were tested with two different watering and nutrient amendment regimes. Global metabolite profiles of four-week-old Brachypodium and Setaria were collected as a reference point for the ground control experiments. A handheld fluorometer is currently being tested, using the ground control experiments for capturing photosynthetic measurements, to evaluate its usability in the International Space Station (ISS). A success criterion has been established for the proposed workflow.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: ) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
 None in FY 2022
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Project Title:  C4 Photosynthesis in Space (C4Space) Reduce
Images: icon  Fiscal Year: FY 2021 
Division: Space Biology 
Research Discipline/Element:
Space Biology: Cell & Molecular Biology   | Plant Biology  
 Start Date: 02/11/2020  
End Date: 02/11/2023  
Task Last Updated: 12/17/2020 		 Download report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Jansson, Christer  Ph.D. / Battelle Memorial Institute (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) 
Address:  Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory 
902 Battelle Blvd, K8-98 
Richland , WA 99354-1793 		 Email: pubudupinipa.handakumbura@pnnl.gov 
Phone: 509-371-6516  
Congressional District: 4 
Web:  
 Organization Type: GOVERNMENT 
Organization Name: Battelle Memorial Institute (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Handakumbura, Pubudu  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Hixson, Kim  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Rivas-Ubach, Albert  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Key Personnel Changes / Previous PI: December 2020 report: Dr. Brian Stanfill has left Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the project. Dr. Amir Ahkami has left the project due to other commitments.
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Department of Energy IAA 
Responsible Center: NASA KSC 
Grant Monitor: Massa, Gioia  
Center Contact: 321-861-2938 
gioia.massa@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 12729  		Solicitation / Funding Source: 2018 Space Biology (ROSBio) NNH18ZTT001N-FG. App B: Flight and Ground Space Biology Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Department of Energy IAA 
Project Type: FLIGHT 
Flight Program:   		No. of Post Docs:  
No. of PhD Candidates:  
No. of Master's Candidates:  
No. of Bachelor's Candidates:   		No. of PhD Degrees: 5 
No. of Master's Degrees:  
No. of Bachelor's Degrees:  
Space Biology Element: (1) Cell & Molecular Biology
(2) Plant Biology
Space Biology Cross-Element Discipline: None
Space Biology Special Category: None
Task Description: C4 plants like maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) have a more efficient photosynthesis than C3 plants such as wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa) due to a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM). How this CCM and the performance of C4 plants are impacted by space travel is unknown. We propose to compare the impact of space-station conditions on C3 and C4 metabolism using Brachypodium (Brachypodium distachyon) and Setaria (Setaria viridis) as model systems for C3 and C4 plants, respectively, and develop models that describe the molecular mechanisms for how C3 and C4 metabolisms are reprogrammed in the space environment compared to Earth. The obtained information would provide fundamental knowledge about C3 and C4 metabolism in space and could also be leveraged for evaluating the potential for growing small-stature cereal and vegetable C4 crops like foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and Amaranthus sp. for biogenerative support in future space explorations.

Research Impact/Earth Benefits: The research provides fundamental understanding of plant biochemistry in space environments as well as an assessment of the suitability in utilizing C4 crops in biogenerative life support systems in future space explorations.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2021 
Task Progress: During this first year of the project, we have worked with our NASA team to explore hardware and protocols. Per our proposal, we decided to use the two Vegetable Production Systems (Veggies) that can be housed on the International Space Station (ISS). We decided to use Magenta jar assemblies for growing the plants. Brachypodium distachyon and Setaria viridis seedlings will germinate and grow on foams within these assemblies. For the flight experiment we decided to utilize 24 Magenta jar assemblies housed within the two Veggie units (12 assemblies per Veggie unit). Surface-sterilized, dehusked seeds will be inserted embryo-side up within the dry foam and maintained in a dry state for launch to ISS. Upon arrival at the ISS, the Magenta jar assemblies will be transferred into Veggie where germination is triggered either by injection of liquid growth medium into the foam or by slow-releasing fertilizer pellets. Protocols for seed sterilization and germination were established.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: ) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
 None in FY 2021
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Project Title:  C4 Photosynthesis in Space (C4Space) Reduce
Images: icon  Fiscal Year: FY 2020 
Division: Space Biology 
Research Discipline/Element:
Space Biology: Cell & Molecular Biology   | Plant Biology  
 Start Date: 02/11/2020  
End Date: 02/11/2023  
Task Last Updated: 03/09/2020 		 Download report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Jansson, Christer  Ph.D. / Battelle Memorial Institute (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) 
Address:  Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory 
902 Battelle Blvd, K8-98 
Richland , WA 99354-1793 		 Email: pubudupinipa.handakumbura@pnnl.gov 
Phone: 509-371-6516  
Congressional District: 4 
Web:  
 Organization Type: GOVERNMENT 
Organization Name: Battelle Memorial Institute (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Ahkami, Amirhossein  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Handakumbura, Pubudu  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Hixson, Kim  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Rivas-Ubach, Albert  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Stanfill, Bryan  Ph.D. Battelle Memorial Institute 
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Department of Energy IAA 
Responsible Center: NASA KSC 
Grant Monitor: Massa, Gioia  
Center Contact: 321-861-2938 
gioia.massa@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 12729  		Solicitation / Funding Source: 2018 Space Biology (ROSBio) NNH18ZTT001N-FG. App B: Flight and Ground Space Biology Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Department of Energy IAA 
Project Type: FLIGHT 
Flight Program:   		No. of Post Docs:  
No. of PhD Candidates:  
No. of Master's Candidates:  
No. of Bachelor's Candidates:   		No. of PhD Degrees:  
No. of Master's Degrees:  
No. of Bachelor's Degrees:  
Space Biology Element: (1) Cell & Molecular Biology
(2) Plant Biology
Space Biology Cross-Element Discipline: None
Space Biology Special Category: None
Task Description: C4 plants like maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) have a more efficient photosynthesis than C3 plants such as wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa) due to a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM). How this CCM and the performance of C4 plants are impacted by space travel is unknown. We propose to compare the impact of space-station conditions on C3 and C4 metabolism using Brachypodium (Brachypodium distachyon) and Setaria (Setaria viridis) as model systems for C3 and C4 plants, respectively, and develop models that describe the molecular mechanisms for how C3 and C4 metabolisms are reprogrammed in the space environment compared to Earth. The obtained information would provide fundamental knowledge about C3 and C4 metabolism in space and could also be leveraged for evaluating the potential for growing small-stature cereal and vegetable C4 crops like foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and Amaranthus sp. for biogenerative support in future space explorations.

Research Impact/Earth Benefits:

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2020 
Task Progress: New project for FY2020.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: ) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
 None in FY 2020
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