DNA Survives Launch, Flight And Re-entry To Earth

In what might sound like a page out of Halle Berrys TV show Extant, scientists at the University of Zurich, have proved that DNA, the building blocks of life, could survive the harsh and extreme conditions in space and still be able to pass on genetic information.

On the Texus-49 research rocket mission, launched from theEsrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden, two scientists conductedan experiment on the role of gravity in the regulation of gene expression in human cells.Dr. Cora Thiel and Professor Oliver Ullrich, both from the University of Zurich, created anexperiment called DARE (DNA atmospheric re-entry experiment) on the TEXUS-49 rocket mission.

For DARE, they applied small double-stranded DNA molecules to the outer shell of the rockets payload section.After the entire sequence was complete launch, space flight and re-entry the plasmid DNA molecules were still found on all the application points on the rocket.

According to the scientists, the DNA that wassalvaged couldtransfer genetic information to bacterial and connective tissue cells.

This study provides experimental evidence that the DNAs genetic information is essentially capable of surviving the extreme conditions of space and the re-entry into Earths dense atmosphere, saidUllrich.

Launch of the TEXUS-49 rocket from Esrange Space Center, Kiruna, Sweden. (Image courtesy of Adrian Mettauer)

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DNA Survives Launch, Flight And Re-entry To Earth