Simulated Microgravity-Induced Changes in SUMOylation and Protein Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Microgravity during space travel induces significant regulatory changes in the body, posing health risks for astronauts, including alterations in cell morphology and cytoskeletal integrity. The Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) is crucial for cellular adaptation, regulating DNA repair, cytoskeletal dynamics, cell division, and protein turnover-all processes affected by microgravity. To determine the extent to which SUMO mediates the cellular response to microgravity stress, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were cultured under normal gravity and simulated microgravity (SMG) in rotating wall vessels. After 12 h of culture, we investigated changes in SUMO modified proteins and protein expression. We identified 347 SUMOylated proteins, 18 of which demonstrated a 50% change in abundance under SMG. Of 3773 proteins identified, protein expression for 34 proteins decreased and 8 increased by over 50% in SMG (p < 0.05). Differentially expressed proteins represented changes in cellular processes for DNA repair, cell division, histone modification, and cytoskeleton regulation. These findings underscore the pivotal role of SUMOylation in orchestrating cellular adaptation to the unique stress of microgravity, revealing potential targets for mitigating spaceflight-induced health risks.