Epigenetic and physiological alterations in zebrafish subjected to hypergravity

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300310
• Publication Date: 2024-05-22T17:20:52Z
• Authors: Marcela Salazar; Silvia Joly; Guillem Anglada-E...; Laia Ribas
• Keywords: Hypergravity; Danio

Gravity is one of the most constant environmental factors across Earth’s evolution and all organisms are adapted to it. Consequently, spatial exploration has captured interest in studying biological changes that physiological alterations caused by gravity. In last two decades, epigenetics explained how cues can alter gene functions organisms. Although many studies addressed gravity, underlying molecular mechanisms occur altered gravity for those epigenetics-related mechanisms, mostly inexistent. The present study effects hypergravity on development, behavior, expression, importantly, epigenetic a worldwide animal model, zebrafish ( Danio rerio ). To perform experiments, custom-centrifuge simulating large diameter centrifuge (100 rpm ~ 3 g ) was designed embryos were exposed during 5 days post fertilization (dpf). Results showed significant decrease survival at 2 dpf but no significance hatching rate. Physiological morphological including fish position, movement frequency, swimming behavior due hypergravity. Epigenetic hypermethylation genome larvae subjected Downregulation expression three epigenetic-related genes dnmt1 , dnmt3 tet1 ), although not significant, further observed. Taken altogether, affected responses fish, providing valuable roadmap putative hazards living beyond Earth.