How do plants keep their feet on the ground when in space | Franck Anicet Ditengou | TEDxPadova

how do plants keep their feet on the

how do plants keep their feet on the ground when in space ever since I was a

ground when in space ever since I was a

ground when in space ever since I was a child every time I look at this stars at

child every time I look at this stars at

child every time I look at this stars at night I was always fascinated by the

night I was always fascinated by the

night I was always fascinated by the vastness of the universe and I was

vastness of the universe and I was

vastness of the universe and I was wondering whether one day we as humans

wondering whether one day we as humans

wondering whether one day we as humans we leave this planet and go there set it

we leave this planet and go there set it

we leave this planet and go there set it down somewhere else however the more was

down somewhere else however the more was

down somewhere else however the more was thinking about it the more I was

thinking about it the more I was

thinking about it the more I was overwhelmed by all sort of questions and

overwhelmed by all sort of questions and

overwhelmed by all sort of questions and some of them are really very basic for

some of them are really very basic for

some of them are really very basic for example how to feed astronaut or long

example how to feed astronaut or long

example how to feed astronaut or long journeys this question is very important

journeys this question is very important

journeys this question is very important because the spaceship transport

because the spaceship transport

because the spaceship transport capabilities are quite restricted and

capabilities are quite restricted and

capabilities are quite restricted and astronaut will be able to carrying only

astronaut will be able to carrying only

astronaut will be able to carrying only a limited amount of food therefore if we

a limited amount of food therefore if we

a limited amount of food therefore if we don’t want them to eat everyday some

don’t want them to eat everyday some

don’t want them to eat everyday some realized food we should give them the

realized food we should give them the

realized food we should give them the possibility to produce their own food

possibility to produce their own food

possibility to produce their own food for example to grow their own plants the

for example to grow their own plants the

for example to grow their own plants the contribution of my group on this

contribution of my group on this

contribution of my group on this fantastic challenge is to understand how

fantastic challenge is to understand how

fantastic challenge is to understand how will plants adapt to a lien environment

will plants adapt to a lien environment

will plants adapt to a lien environment the focus of my research is on the

the focus of my research is on the

the focus of my research is on the gravitational force why this force

gravitational force why this force

gravitational force why this force because this is the force that affect

because this is the force that affect

because this is the force that affect any living or nonliving object on this

any living or nonliving object on this

any living or nonliving object on this planet and to make it simple the

planet and to make it simple the

planet and to make it simple the gravitational force of gravity is the

gravitational force of gravity is the

gravitational force of gravity is the force which causes objects to fall on

force which causes objects to fall on

force which causes objects to fall on the ground and I’m sure you all tested

the ground and I’m sure you all tested

the ground and I’m sure you all tested it so the strength of the gaps of your

it so the strength of the gaps of your

it so the strength of the gaps of your force depends on the planet mass for

force depends on the planet mass for

force depends on the planet mass for example the moon that has only one point

example the moon that has only one point

example the moon that has only one point two percent of the earth mass

two percent of the earth mass

two percent of the earth mass has about seventy percent of the earth

has about seventy percent of the earth

has about seventy percent of the earth gravity while the planet Mars that has

gravity while the planet Mars that has

gravity while the planet Mars that has ten point seven percent of the earth

ten point seven percent of the earth

ten point seven percent of the earth mass has about 62 percent of Scala T

mass has about 62 percent of Scala T

mass has about 62 percent of Scala T where the plants can sense and respond

where the plants can sense and respond

where the plants can sense and respond to stretch differences in gravity and

to stretch differences in gravity and

to stretch differences in gravity and what will be impact on their growth are

what will be impact on their growth are

what will be impact on their growth are some of the questions that we are

some of the questions that we are

some of the questions that we are interested in and this is really

interested in and this is really

interested in and this is really important because gravity is strongly

important because gravity is strongly

important because gravity is strongly influencing plant growth Ian on earth

influencing plant growth Ian on earth

influencing plant growth Ian on earth and it starts already when the seed is

and it starts already when the seed is

and it starts already when the seed is germinating the root is finding the way

germinating the root is finding the way

germinating the root is finding the way down to the ground guided by the gravity

down to the ground guided by the gravity

down to the ground guided by the gravity vector while in normal conditions the

vector while in normal conditions the

vector while in normal conditions the chute so the green part and the root the

chute so the green part and the root the

chute so the green part and the root the underground part are aligned accordingly

underground part are aligned accordingly

underground part are aligned accordingly to the gravity vector this is possible

to the gravity vector this is possible

to the gravity vector this is possible because plants they can really sense and

because plants they can really sense and

because plants they can really sense and respond to gravity as you can see here

respond to gravity as you can see here

respond to gravity as you can see here when the plant is lying on the side the

when the plant is lying on the side the

when the plant is lying on the side the chute will quickly develop a negative

chute will quickly develop a negative

chute will quickly develop a negative tropism meaning away from gravity in the

tropism meaning away from gravity in the

tropism meaning away from gravity in the direction of light why the root will

direction of light why the root will

direction of light why the root will respond positively by growing in the

respond positively by growing in the

respond positively by growing in the direction of the gravity vector by this

direction of the gravity vector by this

direction of the gravity vector by this means the plant we try to realign with

means the plant we try to realign with

means the plant we try to realign with the gravity vector these processes are

the gravity vector these processes are

the gravity vector these processes are all governed by series of genes and

all governed by series of genes and

all governed by series of genes and proteins and just uttering one single

proteins and just uttering one single

proteins and just uttering one single gene is enough to cause the plant to

gene is enough to cause the plant to

gene is enough to cause the plant to lose its ability to align with the

lose its ability to align with the

lose its ability to align with the gravity vector as you can see on the

gravity vector as you can see on the

gravity vector as you can see on the video on the right side such a plant

video on the right side such a plant

video on the right side such a plant will no longer be able to go deep into

will no longer be able to go deep into

will no longer be able to go deep into the soil and will not have access to all

the soil and will not have access to all

the soil and will not have access to all the nutrients or minerals that are

the nutrients or minerals that are

the nutrients or minerals that are located in this this area and this will

located in this this area and this will

located in this this area and this will be at a later stage detrimental for its

be at a later stage detrimental for its

be at a later stage detrimental for its overall growth so as you have seen given

overall growth so as you have seen given

overall growth so as you have seen given the importance of gravity here on earth

the importance of gravity here on earth

the importance of gravity here on earth and the total absence of gravity or all

and the total absence of gravity or all

and the total absence of gravity or all the various gravity fields that we can

the various gravity fields that we can

the various gravity fields that we can find here in

find here in

find here in space we develop a research program that

space we develop a research program that

space we develop a research program that aim at number one to identify the

aim at number one to identify the

aim at number one to identify the molecular mechanism that regulates plant

molecular mechanism that regulates plant

molecular mechanism that regulates plant response to gravity or on earth and in

response to gravity or on earth and in

response to gravity or on earth and in space and number two to develop means

space and number two to develop means

space and number two to develop means and tools that we allow to select or to

and tools that we allow to select or to

and tools that we allow to select or to optimize plants that will perform well

optimize plants that will perform well

optimize plants that will perform well in other planets so to fulfill these

in other planets so to fulfill these

in other planets so to fulfill these goals

goals

goals our strategy is the following so we are

our strategy is the following so we are

our strategy is the following so we are comparing the growth of plants of normal

comparing the growth of plants of normal

comparing the growth of plants of normal plants to that of selected mutants that

plants to that of selected mutants that

plants to that of selected mutants that we already know that are not performing

we already know that are not performing

we already know that are not performing well here on earth these plants are

well here on earth these plants are

well here on earth these plants are grown under the earth gravity conditions

grown under the earth gravity conditions

grown under the earth gravity conditions all in altered gravity or in total

all in altered gravity or in total

all in altered gravity or in total absence of gravity as provided by

absence of gravity as provided by

absence of gravity as provided by parabolic flights sounding rockets or

parabolic flights sounding rockets or

parabolic flights sounding rockets or directly growing them in on the

directly growing them in on the

directly growing them in on the International Space Station

International Space Station

International Space Station our results already show us that both

our results already show us that both

our results already show us that both gravity and microgravity so this means

gravity and microgravity so this means

gravity and microgravity so this means the absence of gravity

the absence of gravity

the absence of gravity both are impacting on the root structure

both are impacting on the root structure

both are impacting on the root structure at the cellular level among the tools

at the cellular level among the tools

at the cellular level among the tools that we developed to track these

that we developed to track these

that we developed to track these modifications so we developed a root

modifications so we developed a root

modifications so we developed a root coordinate system that allows to extract

coordinate system that allows to extract

coordinate system that allows to extract individual cell features such as the

individual cell features such as the

individual cell features such as the cell length the cell volume but also to

cell length the cell volume but also to

cell length the cell volume but also to isolate nuclei of individual cells

isolate nuclei of individual cells

isolate nuclei of individual cells inside the root and to project them in

inside the root and to project them in

inside the root and to project them in three dimension these tool allow us to

three dimension these tool allow us to

three dimension these tool allow us to see which cells are dividing or which

see which cells are dividing or which

see which cells are dividing or which decide on getting in response to gravity

decide on getting in response to gravity

decide on getting in response to gravity or to microgravity so these processes

or to microgravity so these processes

or to microgravity so these processes are controlled by genes and proteins

are controlled by genes and proteins

are controlled by genes and proteins so therefore in addition to this

so therefore in addition to this

so therefore in addition to this structural data we also collect data on

structural data we also collect data on

structural data we also collect data on gene expression proteins and metabolites

gene expression proteins and metabolites

gene expression proteins and metabolites modifications this analysis provided

modifications this analysis provided

modifications this analysis provided already a lot of very interesting

already a lot of very interesting

already a lot of very interesting results

results

results for example we found out that the

for example we found out that the

for example we found out that the absence of gravity is activating

absence of gravity is activating

absence of gravity is activating specific kind of genes so as you can see

specific kind of genes so as you can see

specific kind of genes so as you can see here on the left side there are genes

here on the left side there are genes

here on the left side there are genes that are very active so these are those

that are very active so these are those

that are very active so these are those in red the red dots and some that are

in red the red dots and some that are

in red the red dots and some that are completely repressed are those that are

completely repressed are those that are

completely repressed are those that are in green so these genes they are working

in green so these genes they are working

in green so these genes they are working as networks so a gene network we can see

as networks so a gene network we can see

as networks so a gene network we can see to make it simple as a group of workers

to make it simple as a group of workers

to make it simple as a group of workers in a factory so they can work in small

in a factory so they can work in small

in a factory so they can work in small units but also collaborate with

units but also collaborate with

units but also collaborate with collaborate between each other and by

collaborate between each other and by

collaborate between each other and by this mean regulate the development of

this mean regulate the development of

this mean regulate the development of the route so we combine the data the

the route so we combine the data the

the route so we combine the data the molecular data with the structural data

molecular data with the structural data

molecular data with the structural data in order to build mathematical models

in order to build mathematical models

in order to build mathematical models and these models will help us to test in

and these models will help us to test in

and these models will help us to test in silico meaning inside the computer or

silico meaning inside the computer or

silico meaning inside the computer or the different gravity gravity forces

the different gravity gravity forces

the different gravity gravity forces that we can find in space so to conclude

that we can find in space so to conclude

that we can find in space so to conclude what looked like science fiction when I

what looked like science fiction when I

what looked like science fiction when I was a child is becoming true and one can

was a child is becoming true and one can

was a child is becoming true and one can say that tomorrow is really happening

say that tomorrow is really happening

say that tomorrow is really happening now thank you for your attention

now thank you for your attention

now thank you for your attention [Applause]