Weightlessness makes DNA replication more prone to errors, so astronauts experience the symptoms of aging earlier than normal.
U.S. Army astronaut Drew Morgan exercises in space. According to a new study, microgravity causes more errors in DNA replication, which will lead to premature aging and other negative health effects for astronauts.Scientists are already aware that DNA undergoes a higher rate of mutation when exposed to cosmic rays and solar particles.
The authors of the new study showed for the first time that the error rate in DNA polymerases in E. coli bacteria is higher during weightlessness. Using a semiautomatic mini-laboratory, they observed a single round of replication of a 1000-nucleotide-long DNA fragment during the parabolic flight of a jet, which simulated space flight conditions.
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