Cells in simulated microgravity undergo a reversible morphology switch, causing the appearance of two distinct phenotypes. Despite the dramatic splitting into an adherent-fusiform and a floating-spherical population, when looking at the gene-expression phase space, cell transition ends up in a largely invariant gene transcription profile characterized by only mild modifications in the respective Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Functional changes among the different phenotypes emerging in simulated microgravity using random positioning machine are adaptive modifications—as cells promptly recover their native phenotype when placed again into normal gravity—and do not alter the internal gene coherence. However, biophysical constraints are required to drive phenotypic commitment in an appropriate way, compatible with physiological requirements, given that absence of gravity foster cells to oscillate between different attractor states, thus preventing them to acquire a exclusive phenotype. This is a proof-of-concept of the adaptive properties of gene-expression networks supporting very different phenotypes by coordinated ‘profile preserving’ modifications.

Phenotypic transitions enacted by simulated microgravity do not alter coherence in gene transcription profile / Po, A.; Giuliani, A.; Masiello, M. G.; Cucina, A.; Catizone, A.; Ricci, G.; Chiacchiarini, M.; Tafani, M.; Ferretti, E.; Bizzarri, M.. - In: NPJ MICROGRAVITY. - ISSN 2373-8065. - 5:1(2019), pp. 1-13. [10.1038/s41526-019-0088-x]

Phenotypic transitions enacted by simulated microgravity do not alter coherence in gene transcription profile

Po A.;Masiello M. G.;Cucina A.;Catizone A.;Chiacchiarini M.;Tafani M.;Ferretti E.;Bizzarri M.
2019

Abstract

Cells in simulated microgravity undergo a reversible morphology switch, causing the appearance of two distinct phenotypes. Despite the dramatic splitting into an adherent-fusiform and a floating-spherical population, when looking at the gene-expression phase space, cell transition ends up in a largely invariant gene transcription profile characterized by only mild modifications in the respective Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Functional changes among the different phenotypes emerging in simulated microgravity using random positioning machine are adaptive modifications—as cells promptly recover their native phenotype when placed again into normal gravity—and do not alter the internal gene coherence. However, biophysical constraints are required to drive phenotypic commitment in an appropriate way, compatible with physiological requirements, given that absence of gravity foster cells to oscillate between different attractor states, thus preventing them to acquire a exclusive phenotype. This is a proof-of-concept of the adaptive properties of gene-expression networks supporting very different phenotypes by coordinated ‘profile preserving’ modifications.
2019
biophysics; systems biology; microgravity
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Phenotypic transitions enacted by simulated microgravity do not alter coherence in gene transcription profile / Po, A.; Giuliani, A.; Masiello, M. G.; Cucina, A.; Catizone, A.; Ricci, G.; Chiacchiarini, M.; Tafani, M.; Ferretti, E.; Bizzarri, M.. - In: NPJ MICROGRAVITY. - ISSN 2373-8065. - 5:1(2019), pp. 1-13. [10.1038/s41526-019-0088-x]
File allegati a questo prodotto
File Dimensione Formato  
Po_Phenotypic_2019.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (versione pubblicata con il layout dell'editore)
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 1.96 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.96 MB Adobe PDF

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1359878
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 13
  • Scopus 20
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 20
social impact