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. 2011 Dec 17;2(11):858–861. doi: 10.1007/s13238-011-1125-z

Secondary metabolism in simulated microgravity and space flight

Hong Gao 1,2, Zhiheng Liu 1, Lixin Zhang 1,✉
PMCID: PMC4875188  PMID: 22180084

Abstract

Space flight experiments have suggested that microgravity can affect cellular processes in microorganisms. To simulate the microgravity environment on earth, several models have been developed and applied to examine the effect of microgravity on secondary metabolism. In this paper, studies of effects of space flight on secondary metabolism are exemplified and reviewed along with the advantages and disadvantages of the current models used for simulating microgravity. This discussion is both significant and timely to researchers considering the use of simulated microgravity or space flight to explore effects of weightlessness on secondary metabolism.

Keywords: simulated microgravity, space flight, microorganism, secondary metabolism

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