Spatiotemporal expression and control of haemoglobin in space

Nat Commun. 2024 Jun 11;15(1):4927. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-49289-8.

Abstract

It is now widely recognised that the environment in space activates a diverse set of genes involved in regulating fundamental cellular pathways. This includes the activation of genes associated with blood homoeostasis and erythropoiesis, with a particular emphasis on those involved in globin chain production. Haemoglobin biology provides an intriguing model for studying space omics, as it has been extensively explored at multiple -omic levels, spanning DNA, RNA, and protein analyses, in both experimental and clinical contexts. In this study, we examined the developmental expression of haemoglobin over time and space using a unique suite of multi-omic datasets available on NASA GeneLab, from the NASA Twins Study, the JAXA CFE study, and the Inspiration4 mission. Our findings reveal significant variations in globin gene expression corresponding to the distinct spatiotemporal characteristics of the collected samples. This study sheds light on the dynamic nature of globin gene regulation in response to the space environment and provides valuable insights into the broader implications of space omics research.

MeSH terms

  • Erythropoiesis / genetics
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hemoglobins* / genetics
  • Hemoglobins* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Space Flight

Substances

  • Hemoglobins