Cell responses of Dunaliella salina FACHB 435 (green alga) to microgravitational stimulation by clinorotation

Clinorotation experiments were established to simulate microgravity on ground. It was found that there were obvious changes of Dunaliella salina FACHB435 cells and their metabolic characteristics during clinorotation. The changes included the increases of glycerol content, the rate of H+ secretion and PM H+-ATPase activity, and the decrease of ratio of the plasma membrane (PM) phospholipid to PM protein. These results indicated that microgravity was a stress environment to Dunaliella salina. It is deduced that it would be possible to attribute the effect of microgravity on algal cells to the secondary activation of water stress.