TARDIGRADE CRYPTOBIOTIC STRATEGIES VS. MICROGRAVITY

Balaji, Conti, Patel, Souza, Washington

Acknowledgments: Local Partners, Advisors, and Funders

The Ahmanson Foundation

Dr. James M. LallyWilliam Saito (Cabinet Office (Government of Japan), Ministry of Education - Central Council for Education)

Dr. Tas Dienes (Chief Technology Officer at SmartAction)

Martina Ramirez (Loyola Marymount University)

Ms. Trojanowski

Ms. Curry

Dr. Michael Williams

Professor Jonathan Wright (Pomona College)

CASIS

Subaru of America, Inc.

Research TeamCo-Principal InvestigatorsAshwin Balaji (Grade 12)Garrett Souza (Grade 12)David Washington (Grade 12)InvestigatorRichard Conti (Grade 12)CollaboratorAaditya Patel (Grade 12)Teacher FacilitatorMs. Trojanowski, Damien High School Teacher

Evolution of Tardigrades● The ability to undergo

cryptobiosis suggests that tardigrades evolved in an unstable and rigorous environment

● Tardigrades cryptobiotic abilities and tolerance to rigorous environments suggests they could have evolved in an extraterrestrial environment

The Cryptobiotic Process● When faced with adverse

environmental conditions tardigrades shut down all metabolic processes and enter into a wrinkled “tun” state, as seen on the left. Once reintroduced to hospitable conditions, the process is reversed

● Initial Ground Truth Experiment: 20 of 23 specimens exhibited mobility after 10 days in a cryptobiotic state

Experiment Procedure● Two sets of tardigrades, one

desiccated in moss and one in a cryptobiotic state on wax paper, will be sent to the ISS

● Another two sets, identical to those on the ISS, will be studied on Earth

● At the end of the trial period, all tardigrades will be returned to a hydrated state, and their survival rate will be compared to that of the ground experiment

Finding Specimens ● Initial procedure used Carolina Biological as a source of tardigrades● After several trials, and contacting the lead biologist at Carolina

Biological, it was determined that the ability to enter into a cryptobiotic state adapted out of their culture

● The specimens used in the experiment were gathered from the foothills of Glendora, CA

● A Baermann funnel was used to isolate the tardigrades from the moss● Three species of tardigrades were native to the Glendora foothills and

used in the experiment: Milnesium tardigradum, Echiniscus testudo, and Macrobiotus occidentalis

Experimental Implications● If tardigrades are able to survive

a prolonged period of exposure to microgravity, it is possible that they could have originated from an extraterrestrial environment.

● Furthermore, if the cryptobiotic state sufficiently protects tardigrades from the adverse conditions of space, this could present a possible mechanism by which humans can survive the longevity and physical rigors of deep space travel