The effect of weightlessness on gametogenesis and the functional state of female germ cells are still poorly understood. We studied the ovaries of Drosophila melanogaster, the full development cycle of which (from zygote to sexually mature adults) passed under simulated microgravity by a random positioning machine. The rate of cellular respiration was studied by polarography as a parameter reflecting the functional state of mitochondria. The content of cytoskeletal proteins and histones was determined using Western blotting. The relative content of mRNA was determined using qRT-PCR. The results obtained indicated an increase in the rate of cellular respiration under simulated microgravity conditions during the full cycle of gametogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster due to complex I of the respiratory chain. In addition, an increase in the contents of actin cytoskeleton components was observed against the background of an increase in the mRNA content of the cytoskeleton's encoding genes. Moreover, we observed an increase in the relative content of histone H3 acetylated at Lys9 and Lys27, which may explain the increase in the expression of cytoskeletal genes. In conclusion, the formation of an adaptive pattern of functioning of the Drosophila melanogaster ovaries that developed under simulated microgravity includes structural and functional changes and epigenetic regulation.
Keywords: cell respiration; cytoskeleton; fruit fly; oogenesis; ovary; simulated microgravity.