Several studies have reported that microorganisms are co-transported with globally dispersed aerosols and that microbial DNA and viable cells have been detected at both low and high altitudes. In an effort to investigate how microbial patterns change with altitude two research flights were flown using NASA s C-20A Gulfstream III aircraft over the Sierra mountains in the Southern California/Nevada region over two consecutive days. During each flight the aircraft reached 40,000 ft and lowered to 30,000 ft 20,000 ft and 10,000 ft in a stair-step pattern. Bioaerosol samples were collected at each altitude for 30 minutes on gelatinous filters using the Aircraft Bioaerosol Collector (ABC). DNA was extracted from the bioaerosol sample. Whole genome sequencing was performed on the extracted DNA using an Illumina NextSeq 500.

Our study aims to comprehensively understand effects induced by the space environment on mammals. To achieve this aim we analyze the male mice housed under environments as the artificial gravity and the microgravity (space environment) in Japanese Experiment Module JEM) of the International Space Station (ISS) on orbit for 35 days. After recovered these mice on the ground transcriptome analysis by next-generation sequencing technology is performed about spleen to examine alteration of gene expression in the space.

Spaceflight imposes the risk of skeletal muscle atrophy for astronauts. The understanding of muscle atrophy because of spaceflight is limited but continued efforts are essential for developing countermeasures of this effect. A distinct difference between spaceflight-induced muscle atrophy and other forms of atrophy is the additional effect of cosmic rays in outer space. To study spaceflight-induced muscle atrophy we performed two ground-based models of microgravity in a low dose radiation environment and studied transcriptional changes in rat soleus muscle using microarray technology.

To determine how host irradiation affects tumor profiles in 10 month aged mice treated with HZE or gamma irradiation.

The microbial composition of the International Space Station (ISS) environment is of critical interest due to potential impact of its constituents on human health and operational mission success. This study examined the whole metagenome of ISS microbes at both a species- and gene-level resolution. Air filter and dust samples from the ISS were analyzed and compared to samples collected in a terrestrial cleanroom environment. Samples were collected from ISS and cleanroom environments and treated to examine DNA from total versus viable populations. Microbial genes relevant to human health such as antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes were quantified.

To investigate gene expression patterns in rat mammary carcinomas induced by ionizing radiation. Gene expression patterns were analyzed in radiation-induced rat mammary carcinomas and normal mammary gland tissues.

Exposure to bioaerosols can negatively impact human health. On the International Space Station (ISS) this exposure differs to that on Earth due to lack of gravitational settling and differing microbial sources. It is unknown how microbes are influenced by different particle size fractions in microgravity. The goal of this study is to identify the microbial communities on different particle size fractions taken from the ISS.

RR-1 is a validation flight to evaluate the hardware operational and science capabilities of the Rodent Research Project on the ISS. RNA DNA and protein were purified from liver tissues from RR-1 mice (female C57BL/6J 16wk old at time of launch). From each group two liver samples were collected and frozen immediately after euthanasia. The rest of the liver samples from each group were collected from frozen carcasses dissected post-flight. RNA-Seq whole genome and RNA BS-Seq (bisulfite sequencing) and proteomic expression profiling were performed. RNA extracted from these tissues was re-sequenced; these data are available as part of GLDS-168 (https://genelab-data.ndc.nasa.gov/genelab/accession/GLDS-168).

The Rodent Research-3 (RR-3) mission was sponsored by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co. and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space to study the effectiveness of a potential countermeasure for the loss of muscle and bone mass that occurs during spaceflight. Twenty BALB/c 18-weeks old female mice (ten controls and ten treated) were flown to the ISS and housed in the Rodent Habitat for 39-42 days. Twenty mice of similar age sex and strain were used for ground controls housed in identical hardware and matching ISS environmental conditions. Basal controls were housed in standard vivarium cages. Spaceflight ground controls and basal groups had blood collected then were euthanized had one hind limb removed and finally whole carcasses were stored at -80 C until dissection. All mice in this data set received only the control/sham injection.

NASA s Rodent Research (RR) project is playing a critical role in advancing biomedical research on the physiological effects of space environments. Due to the limited resources for conducting biological experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) it is imperative to use crew time efficiently while maximizing high-quality science return. NASA s GeneLab project has as its primary objectives to 1) further increase the value of these experiments using a multi-omics systems biology-based approach and 2) disseminate these data without restrictions to the scientific community. The current investigation assessed viability of RNA DNA and protein extracted from archived RR-1 tissue samples for epigenomic transcriptomic and proteomic assays. During the first RR spaceflight experiment a variety of tissue types were harvested from subjects snap-frozen or RNAlater-preserved and then stored at least a year at -80C after return to Earth. They were then prioritized for this investigation based on likelihood of significant scientific value for spaceflight research. All tissues were made available to GeneLab through the bio-specimen sharing program managed by the Ames Life Science Data Archive and included mouse adrenal glands quadriceps gastrocnemius tibialis anterior extensor digitorum longus soleus eye and kidney. We report here protocols for and results of these tissue extractions and thus the feasibility and value of these kinds of omics analyses. In addition to providing additional opportunities for investigation of spaceflight effects on the mouse transcriptome and proteome in new kinds of tissues our results may also be of value to program managers for the prioritization of ISS crew time for rodent research activities.