G-Equivalent Acceleration Tolerance in the Eutardigrade SpeciesHypsibius dujardini

• DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1439
• Publication Date: 2017-01-04T15:51:15Z
• Authors: Tarushika Vasanthan; Lorea Alejaldre; Jessica Hider; Shreya Patel; Nabiha Husain; Bavithra Umapathi...; Jonathon Stone
• Keywords: Hypergravity; Tardigrade; Cryptobiosis; Regolith

Tardigrades are microscopic organisms renowned for their ability to survive extreme environmental conditions. Tardigrade extreme-tolerance research has centered on the withstand desiccation, low and high temperatures, hydrostatic pressure radiation levels. tolerance hypergravity, however, yet be described. We used eutardigrade species Hypsibius dujardini investigate short-term g-equivalent accelerations (i.e., mimicking g-forces). Data obtained from specimens centrifuged between 3421g 16,060g 1 min inclusively reveal in an acceleration-dependent relation, with lower survivorship egg production at higher accelerations. This is first study demonstrate tardigrade potential hypergravity describe expected effects survival reproduction. These findings will prove useful lithopanspermia viable spread meteoritic rocks). Key Words: Astrobiology—Extreme tolerance—Hypergravity—Tardigrade. Astrobiology 17, 55–60.