The rotifers bdelloïdes go back into space : UNamur, in collaboration with ULB, present in a mission on the ISS

Just four years after their first two flights aboard the International Space Station, bdelloid rotifers are preparing to return to space as part of the NG21 mission for an experiment led by Dr Hespeels Boris & Pr Anne-Catherine Heuskin (UNamur), and Pr Karine Van Doninck (ULB).

Since 2003, Karine Van Doninck has been studying these peculiar microscopic animals.

The main objective of this new space mission is to provide the first images of rehydrated rotifers in the unique environment of the ISS, after exposure to high levels of radiation. Researchers want to understand how these organisms rehydrate, move and survive while repairing their DNA in space. They also hope to observe whether these rotifers can reproduce in these unique conditions.

To carry out this study, a new rotifer culture system has been developed by Dr. B. Hespeels at the Institute of Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE) and the Research Unit in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology (URBE) in close collaboration with ESA. "This makes it possible to store and reactivate rotifers autonomously and safely for astronauts. This technical innovation is crucial to the smooth running of the experiment", Boris Hespeels points out.

The results expected from this mission will provide a better understanding of rotifer resistance and adaptation mechanisms, providing valuable information for future manned space missions to the Moon and Mars.

For over 15 years, these organisms have been studied at the University of Namur by Prof. Karine Van Doninck's team for their extreme resistance characteristics. In collaboration with the Department of Physics (LARN, Pr Anne-Catherine Heuskin), the researchers have conducted numerous studies demonstrating the ability of rotifers to survive massive DNA damage following exposure to radiation more than 100 times greater than a human cell can withstand. Despite this damage, bdelloid rotifers show a remarkable ability to repair their DNA. These organisms are therefore veritable biological models for understanding the mechanisms of resistance to radiation, desiccation, aging and adaptation to extreme environments. Recently, research carried out as part of Prof. Karine Van Doninck's ERC project, a collaboration between ULB and UNamur, revealed the presence of proteins capable of conferring radioresistance on human cells. Numerous investigations are also underway to characterize the numerous antioxidants discovered in these organisms, which could be the key to their resistance and adaptation. Finally, consisting solely of females reproducing without males for over 60 million years, bdelloid rotifers are being closely studied to understand how these microscopic animals can evolve and adapt in the absence of sexual reproduction.

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in manned spaceflight, particularly to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars. These adventures fascinate, but also pose a challenge for today's and tomorrow's astronauts. Indeed, many challenges await them: high levels of radiation that can induce cancers, microgravity impacting physiological processes, life in confined space, the psychological challenges of distance from Earth, etc. Space is not a suitable environment for human beings. In order to prepare for flights to distant destinations, it is crucial to better understand how living organisms can adapt to this very special environment. Rotifers, with their multiple resistance characteristics, have previously been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as an organism of interest to investigate these questions.

In 2019, an initial experiment investigated the impact of a flight aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on gene expression in the bdelloid rotifers Adineta vaga. The results, which demonstrate the modification of certain key genes in DNA repair and resistance to ionizing radiation, will soon be published. A second experiment, launched in 2020, focused on the ability of rotifers to rehydrate and repair their DNA in the ISS environment. Results currently being analyzed confirm the unique ability of these organisms to repair their DNA in this particular environment.

The SEADS art collective is delighted to announce the next iteration of its work Ēngines of Ēternity, which will accompany the RoB2.1 experiment on board the International Space Station (ISS). This unique work consists of three high-resolution miniature prints, the result of a collaboration between Prof. Karine Van Doninck's laboratory (Molecular Biology and Evolution Research Unit, Faculty of Science, ULB) and SEADS.

Ēngines of Ēternity has already traveled to the ISS with the other two Rotifer in Space missions. Each time, on their return to Earth, data from the rotifer experiments are used to algorithmically evolve the artwork.Ēngines of Ēternity is therefore a transdisciplinary co-creation between artists, rotifers, the space environment and algorithms.
This innovative project has been presented in Brussels, London, Dresden and at the European Space Agency in Noordwijk. At the end of July, it will be presented as part of the "Exploring Exoplanets" exhibition in Copenhagen. Find out more: https://seads.network/project/engines-of-eternity

UNamur is part of the European Space University for Earth and Humanity (UNIVERSEH) alliance, which focuses on the theme of space. It is part of the "European Universities" initiative promoted by the European Commission. Its ambition is to develop a space to meet the societal, social and environmental challenges arising from European space policy.