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Kim S, Park S, Pak JJ. Multi-Modal Multi-Array Electrochemical and Optical Sensor Suite for a Biological CubeSat Payload. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:265. [PMID: 38203127 PMCID: PMC10781281 DOI: 10.3390/s24010265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
CubeSats have emerged as cost-effective platforms for biological research in low Earth orbit (LEO). However, they have traditionally been limited to optical absorbance sensors for studying microbial growth. This work has made improvements to the sensing capabilities of these small satellites by incorporating electrochemical ion-selective pH and pNa sensors with optical absorbance sensors to enrich biological experimentation and greatly expand the capabilities of these payloads. We have designed, built, and tested a multi-modal multi-array electrochemical-optical sensor module and its ancillary systems, including a fluidic card and an on-board payload computer with custom firmware. Laboratory tests showed that the module could endure high flow rates (1 mL/min) without leakage, and the 27-well, 81-electrode sensor card accurately detected pH (71.0 mV/pH), sodium ion concentration (75.2 mV/pNa), and absorbance (0.067 AU), with the sensors demonstrating precise linear responses (R2 ≈ 0.99) in various test solutions. The successful development and integration of this technology conclude that CubeSat bio-payloads are now poised for more complex and detailed investigations of biological phenomena in space, marking a significant enhancement of small-satellite research capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James Jungho Pak
- School of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; (S.K.); (S.P.)
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2
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Massaro Tieze S, Liddell LC, Santa Maria SR, Bhattacharya S. BioSentinel: A Biological CubeSat for Deep Space Exploration. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:631-636. [PMID: 32282239 PMCID: PMC10254969 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BioSentinel is the first biological CubeSat designed and developed for deep space. The main objectives of this NASA mission are to assess the effects of deep space radiation on biological systems and to engineer a CubeSat platform that can autonomously support and gather data from model organisms hundreds of thousands of kilometers from Earth. The articles in this special collection describe the extensive optimization of the biological payload system performed in preparation for this long-duration deep space mission. In this study, we briefly introduce BioSentinel and provide a glimpse into its technical and conceptual heritage by detailing the evolution of the science, subsystems, and capabilities of NASA's previous biological CubeSats. This introduction is not intended as an exhaustive review of CubeSat missions, but rather provides insight into the unique optimization parameters, science, and technology of those few that employ biological model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Massaro Tieze
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, Washington
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
| | - Lauren C. Liddell
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
- Logyx, LLC, Mountain View, California
| | - Sergio R. Santa Maria
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
- COSMIAC Research Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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3
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Vashi A, Sreejith KR, Nguyen NT. Lab-on-a-Chip Technologies for Microgravity Simulation and Space Applications. MICROMACHINES 2022; 14:116. [PMID: 36677176 PMCID: PMC9864955 DOI: 10.3390/mi14010116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Gravity plays an important role in the development of life on earth. The effect of gravity on living organisms can be investigated by controlling the magnitude of gravity. Most reduced gravity experiments are conducted on the Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) in the International Space Station (ISS). However, running experiments in ISS face challenges such as high cost, extreme condition, lack of direct accessibility, and long waiting period. Therefore, researchers have developed various ground-based devices and methods to perform reduced gravity experiments. However, the advantage of space conditions for developing new drugs, vaccines, and chemical applications requires more attention and new research. Advancements in conventional methods and the development of new methods are necessary to fulfil these demands. The advantages of Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) devices make them an attractive option for simulating microgravity. This paper briefly reviews the advancement of LOC technologies for simulating microgravity in an earth-based laboratory.
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Krakos (Podwin) A, Jarosz J, Śniadek P, Psurski M, Graja A, Białas M, Oliszewska E, Wietrzyk J, Walczak R, Dziuban J. Microfluidic-Assisted Human Cancer Cells Culturing Platform for Space Biology Applications. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22166183. [PMID: 36015950 PMCID: PMC9414851 DOI: 10.3390/s22166183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In the paper, the lab-on-chip platform applicable for the long-term cultivation of human cancer cells, as a solution meeting the demands of the CubeSat biological missions, is presented. For the first time, the selected cancer cell lines-UM-UC-3 and RT 112 were cultured on-chip for up to 50 days. The investigation was carried out in stationary conditions (without medium microflow) in ambient temperature and utilizing the microflow perfusion system in the incubation chamber assuring typical cultivation atmosphere (37 °C). All the experiments were performed to imitate the conditions that are provided before the biological mission starts (waiting for the rocket launch) and when the actual experiment is initialized on a CubeSat board in space microgravity. The results of the tests showed appropriate performance of the lab-on-chip platform, especially in the context of material and technological biocompatibility. Cultured cells were characterized by adequate morphology-high attachment rate and visible signs of proliferation in each of the experimental stage. These results are a good basis for further tests of the lab-on-chip platform in both terrestrial and space conditions. At the end of the manuscript, the authors provide some considerations regarding a potential 3-Unit CubeSat biological mission launched with Virgin Orbit company. The lab-on-chip platform was modelled to fit a 2-Unit autonomous laboratory payload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Krakos (Podwin)
- Department of Microsystems, Faculty of Electronics, Photonics and Microsystems, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego Street, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Joanna Jarosz
- Laboratory of Experimental Anticancer Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 R. Weigla Street, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Patrycja Śniadek
- Department of Microsystems, Faculty of Electronics, Photonics and Microsystems, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego Street, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Mateusz Psurski
- Laboratory of Experimental Anticancer Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 R. Weigla Street, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Adrianna Graja
- Department of Microsystems, Faculty of Electronics, Photonics and Microsystems, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego Street, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
- SatRev Company, Stabłowicka 147 Street, 54-066 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Białas
- Department of Microsystems, Faculty of Electronics, Photonics and Microsystems, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego Street, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Oliszewska
- Laboratory of Experimental Anticancer Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 R. Weigla Street, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Wietrzyk
- Laboratory of Experimental Anticancer Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 R. Weigla Street, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Rafał Walczak
- Department of Microsystems, Faculty of Electronics, Photonics and Microsystems, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego Street, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Jan Dziuban
- Department of Microsystems, Faculty of Electronics, Photonics and Microsystems, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego Street, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
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Phenotypic, genomic, and transcriptomic changes in an Acinetobacter baumannii strain after spaceflight in China's Tiangong-2 space laboratory. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:1447-1464. [PMID: 35763257 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00772-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen often found in patients with low immunity. It causes nosocomial infections, which are difficult to treat. This bacterium can rapidly mutate, developing resistance to antimicrobials and adapting to environmental stress, thereby increasing its survival. Understanding such adaptive mechanisms will be beneficial for controlling the spread of A. baumannii. Astrobiology studies have demonstrated that microbiomes from astronauts and manned spaceflight environments show resistance to stress and antibiotics. Astronauts also encounter low immunity during spaceflight missions. The extreme conditions of spaceflight provide a unique research platform for studying how opportunistic pathogens such as A. baumannii adapt to conditions such as microgravity and mutate during spaceflight. In this study, we compared phenotypic variations and analyzed genomic and transcriptomic variations in A. baumannii strains exposed to three different conditions: ST1 (64 days on Tiangong-2 space laboratory), GT1 (ground control), and Aba (original strain). Biofilm formation ability of the ST1 strain increased after 64 days of spaceflight. In addition, high-throughput sequencing revealed that some differentially expressed genes were upregulated in the ST1 strain compared to the GT1 strain. These results provide insights into the environmental adaptation of this widespread pathogen.
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Touchette D, Altshuler I, Raymond-Bouchard I, Fernández-Martínez MÁ, Bourdages LJ, O'Connor B, Ricco AJ, Whyte LG. Microfluidics Microbial Activity MicroAssay: An Automated In Situ Microbial Metabolic Detection System. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:158-170. [PMID: 35049343 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With no direct extant-life detection instrumentation included in a space mission since the 1970s, the advancement of new technologies to be included in future space missions is imperative. We developed, optimized, and tested a semi-automated prototype, the microfluidics Microbial Activity MicroAssay (μMAMA). This system metabolically characterizes and detects extant microbial life by way of metabolism-indicator redox dyes. We first evaluated the robustness and sensitivity of six redox dye/buffer combinations, and we then tested their responses to metabolic activity in astrobiological analog high-Arctic samples. We determined that the Biolog Inoculating Fluid (IF)-C and AlamarBlue buffered in IF-0a (aB-IF0a) dye/buffer combinations were optimal, as they detected metabolic activity from the fewest microbial cells (102 cells/mL) while maintaining efficacy over a broad physiochemical range of pH (0-13), temperature (-10°C to 37°C), salinity and perchlorate (tested up to 30%), and in the presence of a Mars regolith simulant (MMS-2). The μMAMA, which incorporated these redox dyes, detected extant active cold-adapted microbial life from high Arctic analog sites, including samples amended with substrates targeting chemolithoautotrophic metabolisms. Given μMAMA's small size (we estimate a complete planetary instrument could occupy as little as 3 L) and potential for automation, it could easily be incorporated into almost any landed platform for life detection missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Touchette
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
- McGill Space Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ianina Altshuler
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
- Department of Animal and Aquaculture Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Isabelle Raymond-Bouchard
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
- McGill Space Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Miguel Ángel Fernández-Martínez
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
- McGill Space Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Louis-Jacques Bourdages
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Brady O'Connor
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
- McGill Space Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Lyle G Whyte
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
- McGill Space Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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7
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Decreased biofilm formation in Proteus mirabilis after short-term exposure to a simulated microgravity environment. Braz J Microbiol 2021; 52:2021-2030. [PMID: 34558030 PMCID: PMC8578233 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-021-00588-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Microbes threaten human health in space exploration. Studies have shown that Proteus mirabilis has been found in human space habitats. In addition, the biological characteristics of P. mirabilis in space have been studied unconditionally. The simulated microgravity environment provides a platform for understanding the changes in the biological characteristics of P. mirabilis. Objective This study intends to explore the effect of simulated microgravity on P. mirabilis, the formation of P. mirabilis biofilm, and its related mechanism. Methods The strange deformable rods were cultured continuously for 14 days under microgravity simulated in high-aspect rotating vessels (HARVs). The morphology, growth rate, metabolism, and biofilm formation of the strain were measured, and the phenotypic changes of P. mirabilis were evaluated. Transcriptome sequencing was used to detect differentially expressed genes under simulated microgravity and compared with phenotype. Results The growth rate, metabolic ability, and biofilm forming ability of P. mirabilis were lower than those of normal gravity culture under the condition of simulated microgravity. Further analysis showed that the decrease of growth rate, metabolic ability, and biofilm forming ability may be caused by the downregulation of related genes (pstS, sodB, and fumC). Conclusion The simulated microgravity condition enables us to explore the potential relationship between bacterial phenotype and molecular biology, thus opening up a suitable and constructive method for medical fields that have not been explored before. It provides a certain strategy for the treatment of P. mirabilis infectious diseases in space environment by exploring the microgravity of P. mirabilis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42770-021-00588-y.
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8
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Padgen MR, Liddell LC, Bhardwaj SR, Gentry D, Marina D, Parra M, Boone T, Tan M, Ellingson L, Rademacher A, Benton J, Schooley A, Mousavi A, Friedericks C, Hanel RP, Ricco AJ, Bhattacharya S, Maria SRS. BioSentinel: A Biofluidic Nanosatellite Monitoring Microbial Growth and Activity in Deep Space. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 23:637-647. [PMID: 33601926 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Small satellite technologies, particularly CubeSats, are enabling breakthrough research in space. Over the past 15 years, NASA Ames Research Center has developed and flown half a dozen biological CubeSats in low Earth orbit (LEO) to conduct space biology and astrobiology research investigating the effects of the space environment on microbiological organisms. These studies of the impacts of radiation and reduced gravity on cellular processes include dose-dependent interactions with antimicrobial drugs, measurements of gene expression and signaling, and assessment of radiation damage. BioSentinel, the newest addition to this series, will be the first deep space biological CubeSat, its heliocentric orbit extending far beyond the radiation-shielded environment of low Earth orbit. BioSentinel's 4U biosensing payload, the first living biology space experiment ever conducted beyond the Earth-Moon system, will use a microbial bioassay to assess repair of radiation-induced DNA damage in eukaryotic cells over a duration of 6-12 months. Part of a special collection of articles focused on BioSentinel and its science mission, this article describes the design, development, and testing of the biosensing payload's microfluidics and optical systems, highlighting improvements relative to previous CubeSat life-support and bioanalytical measurement technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren C Liddell
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Logyx LLC, Mountain View, California, USA
| | - Shilpa R Bhardwaj
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- FILMSS/Bionetics, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Diana Gentry
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Diana Marina
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Amyris, Inc., Emeryville, California, USA
| | - Macarena Parra
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Travis Boone
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Millenium Engineering & Integration Co., NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Ming Tan
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Wainamics, Inc., Pleasanton, California, USA
| | - Lance Ellingson
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Millenium Engineering & Integration Co., NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Abraham Rademacher
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Millenium Engineering & Integration Co., NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Joshua Benton
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- FILMSS/Wyle Labs, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Aaron Schooley
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Millenium Engineering & Integration Co., NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | | | | | - Robert P Hanel
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | | | | | - Sergio R Santa Maria
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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9
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Space Biology Research and Biosensor Technologies: Past, Present, and Future. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2021; 11:bios11020038. [PMID: 33572823 PMCID: PMC7912197 DOI: 10.3390/bios11020038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
In light of future missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) and the potential establishment of bases on the Moon and Mars, the effects of the deep space environment on biology need to be examined in order to develop protective countermeasures. Although many biological experiments have been performed in space since the 1960s, most have occurred in LEO and for only short periods of time. These LEO missions have studied many biological phenomena in a variety of model organisms, and have utilized a broad range of technologies. However, given the constraints of the deep space environment, upcoming deep space biological missions will be largely limited to microbial organisms and plant seeds using miniaturized technologies. Small satellites such as CubeSats are capable of querying relevant space environments using novel, miniaturized instruments and biosensors. CubeSats also provide a low-cost alternative to larger, more complex missions, and require minimal crew support, if any. Several have been deployed in LEO, but the next iterations of biological CubeSats will travel beyond LEO. They will utilize biosensors that can better elucidate the effects of the space environment on biology, allowing humanity to return safely to deep space, venturing farther than ever before.
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10
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Advantages and Limitations of Current Microgravity Platforms for Space Biology Research. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app11010068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Human Space exploration has created new challenges and new opportunities for science. Reaching beyond the Earth’s surface has raised the issue of the importance of gravity for the development and the physiology of biological systems, while giving scientists the tools to study the mechanisms of response and adaptation to the microgravity environment. As life has evolved under the constant influence of gravity, gravity affects biological systems at a very fundamental level. Owing to limited access to spaceflight platforms, scientists rely heavily on on-ground facilities that reproduce, to a different extent, microgravity or its effects. However, the technical constraints of counterbalancing the gravitational force on Earth add complexity to data interpretation. In-flight experiments are also not without their challenges, including additional stressors, such as cosmic radiation and lack of convection. It is thus extremely important in Space biology to design experiments in a way that maximizes the scientific return and takes into consideration all the variables of the chosen setup, both on-ground or on orbit. This review provides a critical analysis of current ground-based and spaceflight facilities. In particular, the focus was given to experimental design to offer the reader the tools to select the appropriate setup and to appropriately interpret the results.
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11
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Alder-Rangel A, Idnurm A, Brand AC, Brown AJP, Gorbushina A, Kelliher CM, Campos CB, Levin DE, Bell-Pedersen D, Dadachova E, Bauer FF, Gadd GM, Braus GH, Braga GUL, Brancini GTP, Walker GM, Druzhinina I, Pócsi I, Dijksterhuis J, Aguirre J, Hallsworth JE, Schumacher J, Wong KH, Selbmann L, Corrochano LM, Kupiec M, Momany M, Molin M, Requena N, Yarden O, Cordero RJB, Fischer R, Pascon RC, Mancinelli RL, Emri T, Basso TO, Rangel DEN. The Third International Symposium on Fungal Stress - ISFUS. Fungal Biol 2020; 124:235-252. [PMID: 32389286 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Stress is a normal part of life for fungi, which can survive in environments considered inhospitable or hostile for other organisms. Due to the ability of fungi to respond to, survive in, and transform the environment, even under severe stresses, many researchers are exploring the mechanisms that enable fungi to adapt to stress. The International Symposium on Fungal Stress (ISFUS) brings together leading scientists from around the world who research fungal stress. This article discusses presentations given at the third ISFUS, held in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil in 2019, thereby summarizing the state-of-the-art knowledge on fungal stress, a field that includes microbiology, agriculture, ecology, biotechnology, medicine, and astrobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander Idnurm
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexandra C Brand
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter, Exeter, England, UK
| | - Alistair J P Brown
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter, Exeter, England, UK
| | - Anna Gorbushina
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, Materials and the Environment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina M Kelliher
- Department of Molecular & Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Claudia B Campos
- Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - David E Levin
- Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deborah Bell-Pedersen
- Center for Biological Clocks Research, Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Ekaterina Dadachova
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Florian F Bauer
- Institute for Wine Biotechnology, Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Geoffrey M Gadd
- Geomicrobiology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK
| | - Gerhard H Braus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gilberto U L Braga
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme T P Brancini
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Graeme M Walker
- School of Applied Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland, UK
| | | | - István Pócsi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Jan Dijksterhuis
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jesús Aguirre
- Departamento de Biología Celular y del Desarrollo, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - John E Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Julia Schumacher
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, Materials and the Environment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Koon Ho Wong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy; Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA), Mycological Section, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Martin Kupiec
- School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michelle Momany
- Fungal Biology Group & Plant Biology Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Mikael Molin
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Natalia Requena
- Molecular Phytopathology Department, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Oded Yarden
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jeruslaem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Radamés J B Cordero
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Reinhard Fischer
- Department of Microbiology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Renata C Pascon
- Biological Sciences Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Tamas Emri
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Thiago O Basso
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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12
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Padgen MR, Lera MP, Parra MP, Ricco AJ, Chin M, Chinn TN, Cohen A, Friedericks CR, Henschke MB, Snyder TV, Spremo SM, Wang JH, Matin AC. EcAMSat spaceflight measurements of the role of σ s in antibiotic resistance of stationary phase Escherichia coli in microgravity. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2020; 24:18-24. [PMID: 31987476 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2019.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
We report the results of the EcAMSat (Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Satellite) autonomous space flight experiment, investigating the role of σs in the development of antibiotic resistance in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) in microgravity (µ-g). The presence of σs, encoded by the rpoS gene, has been shown to increase antibiotic resistance in Earth gravity, but it was unknown if this effect occurs in µ-g. Two strains, wildtype (WT) UPEC and its isogenic ΔrpoS mutant, were grown to stationary phase aboard EcAMSat, an 11-kg small satellite, and in a parallel ground-based control experiment; cell growth rates for the two strains were found to be unaltered by µ-g. After starvation for over 24 h, stationary-phase cells were incubated with three doses of gentamicin (Gm), a common treatment for urinary tract infections (which have been reported in astronauts). Cellular metabolic activity was measured optically using the redox-based indicator alamarBlue (aB): both strains exhibited slower metabolism in µ-g, consistent with results from previous smallsat missions. The results also showed that µ-g did not enhance UPEC resistance to Gm; in fact, both strains were more susceptible to Gm in µ-g. It was also found, via a second ground-control experiment, that multi-week storage in the payload hardware stressed the cells, potentially obscuring small differential effects of the antibiotic between WT and mutant and/or between µ-g and ground. Overall, results showed that the ∆rpoS mutant was 34-37% less metabolically active than the WT for four different sets of conditions: ground without Gm, ground with Gm; µ-g without Gm, µ-g with Gm. We conclude therefore that the rpoS gene and its downstream products are important therapeutic targets for treating bacterial infections in space, much as they are on the ground.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew P Lera
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, United States
| | | | | | - Matthew Chin
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, United States
| | - Tori N Chinn
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, United States
| | - Aaron Cohen
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Jing-Hung Wang
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - A C Matin
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.
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Nicholson WL, Ricco AJ. Nanosatellites for Biology in Space: In Situ Measurement of Bacillus subtilis Spore Germination and Growth after 6 Months in Low Earth Orbit on the O/OREOS Mission. Life (Basel) 2019; 10:E1. [PMID: 31905771 PMCID: PMC7175319 DOI: 10.3390/life10010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We report here complete 6-month results from the orbiting Space Environment Survivability of Living Organisms (SESLO) experiment. The world's first and only long-duration live-biology cubesat experiment, SESLO was executed by one of two 10-cm cube-format payloads aboard the 5.5-kg O/OREOS (Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses) free-flying nanosatellite, which launched to a 72°-inclination, 650-km Earth orbit in 2010. The SESLO experiment measured the long-term survival, germination, metabolic, and growth responses of Bacillus subtilis spores exposed to microgravity and ionizing radiation including heavy-ion bombardment. A pair of radiation dosimeters (RadFETs, i.e., radiation-sensitive field-effect transistors) within the SESLO payload provided an in-situ dose rate estimate of 6-7.6 mGy/day throughout the mission. Microwells containing samples of dried spores of a wild-type B. subtilis strain and a radiation-sensitive mutant deficient in Non-Homologoous End Joining (NHEJ) were rehydrated after 14, 91, and 181 days in space with nutrient medium containing with the redox dye alamarBlue (aB), which changes color upon reaction with cellular metabolites. Three-color transmitted light intensity measurements of all microwells were telemetered to Earth within days of each 24-hour growth experiment. At 14 and 91 days, spaceflight samples germinated, grew, and metabolized significantly more slowly than matching ground-control samples, as measured both by aB reduction and optical density changes; these rate differences notwithstanding, the final optical density attained was the same in both flight and ground samples. After 181 days in space, spore germination and growth appeared hindered and abnormal. We attribute the differences not to an effect of the space environment per se, as both spaceflight and ground-control samples exhibited the same behavior, but to a pair of ~15-day thermal excursions, after the 91-day measurement and before the 181-day experiment, that peaked above 46 °C in the SESLO payload. Because the payload hardware operated nominally at 181 days, the growth issues point to heat damage, most likely to component(s) of the growth medium (RPMI 1640 containing aB) or to biocompatibility issues caused by heat-accelerated outgassing or leaching of harmful compounds from components of the SESLO hardware and electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne L. Nicholson
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Merritt Island, FL 32953, USA
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Peyvan K, Karouia F, Cooper JJ, Chamberlain J, Suciu D, Slota M, Pohorille A. Gene Expression Measurement Module (GEMM) for space application: Design and validation. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2019; 22:55-67. [PMID: 31421849 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2019.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In order to facilitate studies on the impact of the space environment on biological systems, we have developed a prototype of GEMM (Gene Expression Measurement Module) - an automated, miniaturized, integrated fluidic system for in-situ measurements of gene expression in microbial samples. The GEMM instrument is capable of (1) lysing bacterial cell walls, (2) extracting and purifying RNA released from cells, (3) hybridizing the RNA to probes attached to a microarray and (4) providing electrochemical readout, all in a microfluidics cartridge. To function on small, uncrewed spacecraft, the conventional, laboratory protocols for both sample preparation and hybridization required significant modifications. Biological validation of the instrument was carried out on Synechococcus elongatus, a photosynthetic cyanobacterium known for its metabolic diversity and resilience to adverse conditions. It was demonstrated that GEMM yielded reliable, reproducible gene expression profiles. GEMM is the only high throughput instrument that can be deployed in near future on space platforms other than the ISS to advance biological research in space. It can also prove useful for numerous terrestrial applications in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fathi Karouia
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Research Branch, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; NASA Ames Research Center, Exobiology Branch, MS 239-4, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | - Andrew Pohorille
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; NASA Ames Research Center, Exobiology Branch, MS 239-4, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
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Evaluation of Acquired Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli Exposed to Long-Term Low-Shear Modeled Microgravity and Background Antibiotic Exposure. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.02637-18. [PMID: 30647159 PMCID: PMC6336426 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02637-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress factors experienced during space include microgravity, sleep deprivation, radiation, isolation, and microbial contamination, all of which can promote immune suppression (1, 2). Under these conditions, the risk of infection from opportunistic pathogens increases significantly, particularly during long-term missions (3). If infection occurs, it is important that the infectious agent should not be antibiotic resistant. Minimizing the occurrence of antibiotic resistance is, therefore, highly desirable. To facilitate this, it is important to better understand the long-term response of bacteria to the microgravity environment. This study demonstrated that the use of antibiotics as a preventive measure could be counterproductive and would likely result in persistent resistance to that antibiotic. In addition, unintended resistance to other antimicrobials might also occur as well as permanent genome changes that might have other unanticipated and undesirable consequences. The long-term response of microbial communities to the microgravity environment of space is not yet fully understood. Of special interest is the possibility that members of these communities may acquire antibiotic resistance. In this study, Escherichia coli cells were grown under low-shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG) conditions for over 1,000 generations (1000G) using chloramphenicol treatment between cycles to prevent contamination. The results were compared with data from an earlier control study done under identical conditions using steam sterilization between cycles rather than chloramphenicol. The sensitivity of the final 1000G-adapted strain to a variety of antibiotics was determined using Vitek analysis. In addition to resistance to chloramphenicol, the adapted strain acquired resistance to cefalotin, cefuroxime, cefuroxime axetil, cefoxitin, and tetracycline. In fact, the resistance to chloramphenicol and cefalotin persisted for over 110 generations despite the removal of both LSMMG conditions and trace antibiotic exposure. Genome sequencing of the adapted strain revealed 22 major changes, including 3 transposon-mediated rearrangements (TMRs). Two TMRs disrupted coding genes (involved in bacterial adhesion), while the third resulted in the deletion of an entire segment (14,314 bp) of the genome, which includes 14 genes involved with motility and chemotaxis. These results are in stark contrast with data from our earlier control study in which cells grown under the identical conditions without antibiotic exposure never acquired antibiotic resistance. Overall, LSMMG does not appear to alter the antibiotic stress resistance seen in microbial ecosystems not exposed to microgravity.
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16
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Zhao X, Yu Y, Zhang X, Huang B, Bai P, Xu C, Li D, Zhang B, Liu C. Decreased biofilm formation ability of Acinetobacter baumannii after spaceflight on China's Shenzhou 11 spacecraft. Microbiologyopen 2018; 8:e00763. [PMID: 30379419 PMCID: PMC6562233 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
China has prepared for construction of a space station by the early 2020s. The mission will require astronauts to stay on the space station for at least 180 days. Microbes isolated from the International Space Station (ISS) have shown profound resistance to clinical antibiotics and environmental stresses. Previous studies have demonstrated that the space environment could affect microbial survival, growth, virulence, biofilms, metabolism, as well as their antibiotic‐resistant phenotypes. Furthermore, several studies have reported that astronauts experience a decline in their immunity during long‐duration spaceflights. Monitoring microbiomes in the ISS or the spacecraft will be beneficial for the prevention of infection among the astronauts during spaceflight. The development of a manned space program worldwide not only provides an opportunity to investigate the impact of this extreme environment on opportunistic pathogenic microbes, but also offers a unique platform to detect mutations in pathogenic bacteria. Various microorganisms have been carried on a spacecraft for academic purposes. Acinetobacter baumannii is a common multidrug‐resistant bacterium often prevalent in hospitals. Variations in the ability to cope with environmental hazards increase the chances of microbial survival. Our study aimed to compare phenotypic variations and analyze genomic and transcriptomic variations in A. baumannii among three different groups: SS1 (33 days on the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft), GS1 (ground control), and Aba (reference strain). Consequently, the biofilm formation ability of the SS1 strain decreased after 33 days of spaceflight. Furthermore, high‐throughput sequencing revealed that some differentially expressed genes were downregulated in the SS1 strain compared with those in the GS1 strain. In conclusion, this present study provides insights into the environmental adaptation of A. baumannii and might be useful for understanding changes in the opportunistic pathogenic microbes on our spacecraft and on China's future ISS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Zhao
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Yu
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xuelin Zhang
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Huang
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Po Bai
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chou Xu
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Diangeng Li
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Changting Liu
- Nanlou Respiratory Diseases Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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17
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Fajardo-Cavazos P, Leehan JD, Nicholson WL. Alterations in the Spectrum of Spontaneous Rifampicin-Resistance Mutations in the Bacillus subtilis rpoB Gene after Cultivation in the Human Spaceflight Environment. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:192. [PMID: 29491852 PMCID: PMC5817088 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The effect of Bacillus subtilis exposure to the human spaceflight environment on growth, mutagenic frequency, and spectrum of mutations to rifampicin resistance (RifR) was investigated. B. subtilis cells were cultivated in Biological Research in Canister-Petri Dish Fixation Units (BRIC-PDFUs) on two separate missions to the International Space Station (ISS), dubbed BRIC-18 and BRIC-21, with matching asynchronous ground controls. No statistically significant difference in either growth or in the frequency of mutation to RifR was found in either experiment. However, nucleotide sequencing of the RifR regions of the rpoB gene from RifR mutants revealed dramatic differences in the spectrum of mutations between flight (FL) and ground control (GC) samples, including two newly discovered rpoB alleles in the FL samples (Q137R and L489S). The results strengthen the idea that exposure to the human spaceflight environment causes unique stresses on bacteria, leading to alterations in their mutagenic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wayne L. Nicholson
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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18
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Matin AC, Wang JH, Keyhan M, Singh R, Benoit M, Parra MP, Padgen MR, Ricco AJ, Chin M, Friedericks CR, Chinn TN, Cohen A, Henschke MB, Snyder TV, Lera MP, Ross SS, Mayberry CM, Choi S, Wu DT, Tan MX, Boone TD, Beasley CC, Piccini ME, Spremo SM. Payload hardware and experimental protocol development to enable future testing of the effect of space microgravity on the resistance to gentamicin of uropathogenic Escherichia coli and its σ s-deficient mutant. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2017; 15:1-10. [PMID: 29198308 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Human immune response is compromised and bacteria can become more antibiotic resistant in space microgravity (MG). We report that under low-shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG), stationary-phase uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) become more resistant to gentamicin (Gm), and that this increase is dependent on the presence of σs (a transcription regulator encoded by the rpoS gene). UPEC causes urinary tract infections (UTIs), reported to afflict astronauts; Gm is a standard treatment, so these findings could impact astronaut health. Because LSMMG findings can differ from MG, we report preparations to examine UPEC's Gm sensitivity during spaceflight using the E. coli Anti-Microbial Satellite (EcAMSat) as a free-flying "nanosatellite" in low Earth orbit. Within EcAMSat's payload, a 48-microwell fluidic card contains and supports study of bacterial cultures at constant temperature; optical absorbance changes in cell suspensions are made at three wavelengths for each microwell and a fluid-delivery system provides growth medium and predefined Gm concentrations. Performance characterization is reported here for spaceflight prototypes of this payload system. Using conventional microtiter plates, we show that Alamar Blue (AB) absorbance changes can assess the Gm effect on E. coli viability, permitting telemetric transfer of the spaceflight data to Earth. Laboratory results using payload prototypes are consistent with wellplate and flask findings of differential sensitivity of UPEC and its ∆rpoS strain to Gm. if σs plays the same role in space MG as in LSMMG and Earth gravity, countermeasures discovered in recent Earth studies (aimed at weakening the UPEC antioxidant defense) to control UPEC infections would prove useful also in space flights. Further, EcAMSat results should clarify inconsistencies from previous space experiments on bacterial antibiotic sensitivity and other issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Matin
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - J-H Wang
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Mimi Keyhan
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Rachna Singh
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael Benoit
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | | | | | - Matthew Chin
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | | | - Tori N Chinn
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Aaron Cohen
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sungshin Choi
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Diana T Wu
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - Ming X Tan
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
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19
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Inner Workings: CubeSats set to tackle living systems, effects of deep space radiation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:10805-10807. [PMID: 29073005 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1712815114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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20
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Karouia F, Peyvan K, Pohorille A. Toward biotechnology in space: High-throughput instruments for in situ biological research beyond Earth. Biotechnol Adv 2017; 35:905-932. [PMID: 28433608 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Space biotechnology is a nascent field aimed at applying tools of modern biology to advance our goals in space exploration. These advances rely on our ability to exploit in situ high throughput techniques for amplification and sequencing DNA, and measuring levels of RNA transcripts, proteins and metabolites in a cell. These techniques, collectively known as "omics" techniques have already revolutionized terrestrial biology. A number of on-going efforts are aimed at developing instruments to carry out "omics" research in space, in particular on board the International Space Station and small satellites. For space applications these instruments require substantial and creative reengineering that includes automation, miniaturization and ensuring that the device is resistant to conditions in space and works independently of the direction of the gravity vector. Different paths taken to meet these requirements for different "omics" instruments are the subjects of this review. The advantages and disadvantages of these instruments and technological solutions and their level of readiness for deployment in space are discussed. Considering that effects of space environments on terrestrial organisms appear to be global, it is argued that high throughput instruments are essential to advance (1) biomedical and physiological studies to control and reduce space-related stressors on living systems, (2) application of biology to life support and in situ resource utilization, (3) planetary protection, and (4) basic research about the limits on life in space. It is also argued that carrying out measurements in situ provides considerable advantages over the traditional space biology paradigm that relies on post-flight data analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fathi Karouia
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; NASA Ames Research Center, Exobiology Branch, MS239-4, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA; NASA Ames Research Center, Flight Systems Implementation Branch, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
| | | | - Andrew Pohorille
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; NASA Ames Research Center, Exobiology Branch, MS239-4, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
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21
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Park J, Salmi ML, Wan Salim WWA, Rademacher A, Wickizer B, Schooley A, Benton J, Cantero A, Argote PF, Ren M, Zhang M, Porterfield DM, Ricco AJ, Roux SJ, Rickus JL. An autonomous lab on a chip for space flight calibration of gravity-induced transcellular calcium polarization in single-cell fern spores. LAB ON A CHIP 2017; 17:1095-1103. [PMID: 28205656 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc01370h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This report describes the development of lab-on-a-chip device designed to measure changes in cellular ion gradients that are induced by changes in gravitational (g) forces. The bioCD presented here detects differential calcium ion concentrations outside of individual cells. The device includes sufficient replicates for statistical analysis of the gradients around multiple single cells and around control wells that are empty or include dead cells. In the data presented, the degree of the cellular response correlates with the magnitude of the g-force applied via rotation of the bioCD. The experiments recorded the longest continuous observation of a cellular response to hypergravity made to date, and they demonstrate the potential utility of this device for assaying the threshold of cells' g-force responses in spaceflight conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Park
- Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Physiological Sensing Facility at the Bindley Bioscience Center & Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - M L Salmi
- Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A6700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - W W A Wan Salim
- Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Physiological Sensing Facility at the Bindley Bioscience Center & Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - A Rademacher
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - B Wickizer
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - A Schooley
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - J Benton
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - A Cantero
- Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A6700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - P F Argote
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - M Ren
- Dept of Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - M Zhang
- Dept of Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - D M Porterfield
- Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Physiological Sensing Facility at the Bindley Bioscience Center & Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. and Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - A J Ricco
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - S J Roux
- Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A6700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - J L Rickus
- Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Physiological Sensing Facility at the Bindley Bioscience Center & Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. and Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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22
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Zea L, Prasad N, Levy SE, Stodieck L, Jones A, Shrestha S, Klaus D. A Molecular Genetic Basis Explaining Altered Bacterial Behavior in Space. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0164359. [PMID: 27806055 PMCID: PMC5091764 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria behave differently in space, as indicated by reports of reduced lag phase, higher final cell counts, enhanced biofilm formation, increased virulence, and reduced susceptibility to antibiotics. These phenomena are theorized, at least in part, to result from reduced mass transport in the local extracellular environment, where movement of molecules consumed and excreted by the cell is limited to diffusion in the absence of gravity-dependent convection. However, to date neither empirical nor computational approaches have been able to provide sufficient evidence to confirm this explanation. Molecular genetic analysis findings, conducted as part of a recent spaceflight investigation, support the proposed model. This investigation indicated an overexpression of genes associated with starvation, the search for alternative energy sources, increased metabolism, enhanced acetate production, and other systematic responses to acidity-all of which can be associated with reduced extracellular mass transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Zea
- BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Dept., University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - Nripesh Prasad
- Genomic Services Laboratory, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, United States of America
| | - Shawn E. Levy
- Genomic Services Laboratory, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, United States of America
| | - Louis Stodieck
- BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Dept., University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - Angela Jones
- Genomic Services Laboratory, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, United States of America
| | - Shristi Shrestha
- Genomic Services Laboratory, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, United States of America
- Department of Biological Science, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, United States of America
| | - David Klaus
- BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Dept., University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States of America
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23
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Nagler K, Julius C, Moeller R. Germination of Spores of Astrobiologically Relevant Bacillus Species in High-Salinity Environments. ASTROBIOLOGY 2016; 16:500-512. [PMID: 27304705 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED In times of increasing space exploration and search for extraterrestrial life, new questions and challenges for planetary protection, aiming to avoid forward contamination of different planets or moons with terrestrial life, are emerging. Spore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus species have a high contamination potential due to their spores' extreme resistance, enabling them to withstand space conditions. Spores require liquid water for their conversion into a growing cell (i.e., spore germination and subsequent growth). If present, water on extraterrestrial planets or moons is likely to be closely associated with salts (e.g., in salty oceans or brines), thus constituting high-salinity environments. Spores of Bacillus subtilis can germinate despite very high salt concentrations, although salt stress does exert negative effects on this process. In this study, germination and metabolic reactivation ("outgrowth") of spores of five astrobiologically relevant Bacillus species (B. megaterium, B. pumilus SAFR-032, B. nealsonii, B. mojavensis, and B. vallismortis) in high salinity (≤3.6 M NaCl) were investigated. Spores of different species exhibited different germination and outgrowth capabilities in high salinity, which strongly depended on germination conditions, especially the exact composition of the medium. In this context, a new "universal" germination trigger for Bacillus spores, named KAGE (KCl, L-alanine, D-glucose, ectoine), was identified, which will be very useful for future comparative germination and outgrowth studies on different Bacillus species. Overall, this study yielded interesting new insights on salt stress effects on spore germination and points out the difficulty of predicting the potential of spores to contaminate salty environments on extraterrestrial celestial bodies. KEY WORDS Bacillus species-Spores-Germination-High salinity-Salt stress-NaCl-Inhibition. Astrobiology 16, 500-512.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Nagler
- German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Institute of Aerospace Medicine , Radiation Biology Department, Space Microbiology Research Group, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christina Julius
- German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Institute of Aerospace Medicine , Radiation Biology Department, Space Microbiology Research Group, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ralf Moeller
- German Aerospace Center (DLR e.V.), Institute of Aerospace Medicine , Radiation Biology Department, Space Microbiology Research Group, Cologne, Germany
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Horneck G, Walter N, Westall F, Grenfell JL, Martin WF, Gomez F, Leuko S, Lee N, Onofri S, Tsiganis K, Saladino R, Pilat-Lohinger E, Palomba E, Harrison J, Rull F, Muller C, Strazzulla G, Brucato JR, Rettberg P, Capria MT. AstRoMap European Astrobiology Roadmap. ASTROBIOLOGY 2016; 16:201-43. [PMID: 27003862 PMCID: PMC4834528 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The European AstRoMap project (supported by the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme) surveyed the state of the art of astrobiology in Europe and beyond and produced the first European roadmap for astrobiology research. In the context of this roadmap, astrobiology is understood as the study of the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the context of cosmic evolution; this includes habitability in the Solar System and beyond. The AstRoMap Roadmap identifies five research topics, specifies several key scientific objectives for each topic, and suggests ways to achieve all the objectives. The five AstRoMap Research Topics are • Research Topic 1: Origin and Evolution of Planetary Systems • Research Topic 2: Origins of Organic Compounds in Space • Research Topic 3: Rock-Water-Carbon Interactions, Organic Synthesis on Earth, and Steps to Life • Research Topic 4: Life and Habitability • Research Topic 5: Biosignatures as Facilitating Life Detection It is strongly recommended that steps be taken towards the definition and implementation of a European Astrobiology Platform (or Institute) to streamline and optimize the scientific return by using a coordinated infrastructure and funding system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerda Horneck
- European Astrobiology Network Association
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Köln, Germany
| | | | - Frances Westall
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique–Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Orleans, France
| | - John Lee Grenfell
- Institute for Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - William F. Martin
- Institute of Molecular Evolution, Heinrich-Heine University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Felipe Gomez
- INTA Centre for Astrobiology, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Stefan Leuko
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Köln, Germany
| | - Natuschka Lee
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Technical University München, München, Germany
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Kleomenis Tsiganis
- Department of Physics, Section of Astrophysics, Astronomy and Mechanics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Raffaele Saladino
- Department of Agrobiology and Agrochemistry, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | | | - Ernesto Palomba
- INAF–Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, Rome, Italy
| | - Jesse Harrison
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fernando Rull
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, Valladolid University, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Petra Rettberg
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Köln, Germany
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Cook AM, Mattioda AL, Ricco AJ, Quinn RC, Elsaesser A, Ehrenfreund P, Ricca A, Jones NC, Hoffmann SV. The Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS) satellite: radiation exposure in low-earth orbit and supporting laboratory studies of iron tetraphenylporphyrin chloride. ASTROBIOLOGY 2014; 14:87-101. [PMID: 24512475 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.0998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We report results from the exposure of the metalloporphyrin iron tetraphenylporphyrin chloride (FeTPPCl) to the outer space environment, measured in situ aboard the Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses nanosatellite. FeTPPCl was exposed for a period of 17 months (3700 h of direct solar exposure), which included broad-spectrum solar radiation (∼122 nm to the near infrared). Motivated by the potential role of metalloporphyrins as molecular biomarkers, the exposure of thin-film samples of FeTPPCl to the space environment in low-Earth orbit was monitored in situ via ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy and reported telemetrically. The space data were complemented by laboratory exposure experiments that used a high-fidelity solar simulator covering the spectral range of the spaceflight measurements. We found that thin-film samples of FeTPPCl that were in contact with a humid headspace gas (0.8-2.3% relative humidity) were particularly susceptible to destruction upon irradiation, degrading up to 10 times faster than identical thin films in contact with dry headspace gases; this degradation may also be related to the presence of oxides of nitrogen in those cells. In the companion terrestrial experiments, simulated solar exposure of FeTPPCl films in contact with either Ar or CO2:O2:Ar (10:0.01:1000) headspace gas resulted in growth of a band in the films' infrared spectra at 1961 cm(-1). We concluded that the most likely carriers of this band are allene (C3H4) and chloropropadiene (C3H3Cl), putative molecular fragments of the destruction of the porphyrin ring. The thin films studied in space and in solar simulator-based experiments show qualitatively similar spectral evolution as a function of contacting gaseous species but display significant differences in the time dependence of those changes. The relevance of our findings to planetary science, biomarker research, and the photostability of organic materials in astrobiologically relevant environments is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Cook
- 1 NASA Ames Research Center , Moffett Field, California, USA
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High salinity alters the germination behavior of Bacillus subtilis spores with nutrient and nonnutrient germinants. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 80:1314-21. [PMID: 24317076 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03293-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of high NaCl concentrations on nutrient and nonnutrient germination of Bacillus subtilis spores was systematically investigated. Under all conditions, increasing NaCl concentrations caused increasing, albeit reversible, inhibition of germination. High salinity delayed and increased the heterogeneity of germination initiation, slowed the germination kinetics of individual spores and the whole spore population, and decreased the overall germination efficiency, as observed by a variety of different analytical techniques. Germination triggered by nutrients which interact with different germinant receptors (GRs) was affected differently by NaCl, suggesting that GRs are targets of NaCl inhibition. However, NaCl also inhibited GR-independent germination, suggesting that there is at least one additional target for NaCl inhibition. Strikingly, a portion of the spore population could initiate germination with l-alanine even at NaCl concentrations near saturation (∼5.4 M), suggesting that spores lack a salt-sensing system preventing them from germinating in a hostile high-salinity environment. Spores that initiated germination at very high NaCl concentrations excreted their large depot of Ca(2+)-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid and lost their heat resistance, but they remained in a phase-gray state in the phase-contrast microscope, suggesting that there was incomplete germination. However, some metabolic activity could be detected at up to 4.8 M NaCl. Overall, high salinity seems to exert complex effects on spore germination and outgrowth whose detailed elucidation in future investigations could give valuable insights on these processes in general.
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Kovarik ML, Ornoff DM, Melvin AT, Dobes NC, Wang Y, Dickinson AJ, Gach PC, Shah PK, Allbritton NL. Micro total analysis systems: fundamental advances and applications in the laboratory, clinic, and field. Anal Chem 2013; 85:451-72. [PMID: 23140554 PMCID: PMC3546124 DOI: 10.1021/ac3031543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L. Kovarik
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Douglas M. Ornoff
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Adam T. Melvin
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Nicholas C. Dobes
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Yuli Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Alexandra J. Dickinson
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Philip C. Gach
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Pavak K. Shah
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Nancy L. Allbritton
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
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Gabani P, Singh OV. Radiation-resistant extremophiles and their potential in biotechnology and therapeutics. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2012; 97:993-1004. [PMID: 23271672 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-012-4642-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2012] [Revised: 12/03/2012] [Accepted: 12/05/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Extremophiles are organisms able to thrive in extreme environmental conditions. Microorganisms with the ability to survive high doses of radiation are known as radioresistant or radiation-resistant extremophiles. Excessive or intense exposure to radiation (i.e., gamma rays, X-rays, and particularly UV radiation) can induce a variety of mutagenic and cytotoxic DNA lesions, which can lead to different forms of cancer. However, some populations of microorganisms thrive under different types of radiation due to defensive mechanisms provided by primary and secondary metabolic products, i.e., extremolytes and extremozymes. Extremolytes (including scytonemin, mycosporine-like amino acids, shinorine, porphyra-334, palythine, biopterin, and phlorotannin, among others) are able to absorb a wide spectrum of radiation while protecting the organism's DNA from being damaged. The possible commercial applications of extremolytes include anticancer drugs, antioxidants, cell-cycle-blocking agents, and sunscreens, among others. This article aims to review the strategies by which microorganisms thrive in extreme radiation environments and discuss their potential uses in biotechnology and the therapeutic industry. The major challenges that lie ahead are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Gabani
- Division of Biological and Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 300 Campus Drive, Bradford, PA 16701, USA
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29
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Mattioda A, Cook A, Ehrenfreund P, Quinn R, Ricco AJ, Squires D, Bramall N, Bryson K, Chittenden J, Minelli G, Agasid E, Allamandola L, Beasley C, Burton R, Defouw G, Diaz-Aguado M, Fonda M, Friedericks C, Kitts C, Landis D, McIntyre M, Neumann M, Rasay M, Ricks R, Salama F, Santos O, Schooley A, Yost B, Young A. The O/OREOS mission: first science data from the space environment viability of organics (SEVO) payload. ASTROBIOLOGY 2012; 12:841-853. [PMID: 22984872 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2012.0861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We report the first science results from the Space Environment Viability of Organics (SEVO) payload aboard the Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS) free-flying nanosatellite, which completed its nominal spaceflight mission in May 2011 but continues to acquire data biweekly. The SEVO payload integrates a compact UV-visible-NIR spectrometer, utilizing the Sun as its light source, with a 24-cell sample carousel that houses four classes of vacuum-deposited organic thin films: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), amino acid, metalloporphyrin, and quinone. The organic films are enclosed in hermetically sealed sample cells that contain one of four astrobiologically relevant microenvironments. Results are reported in this paper for the first 309 days of the mission, during which the samples were exposed for ∼2210 h to direct solar illumination (∼1080 kJ/cm(2) of solar energy over the 124-2600 nm range). Transmission spectra (200-1000 nm) were recorded for each film, at first daily and subsequently every 15 days, along with a solar spectrum and the dark response of the detector array. Results presented here include eight preflight and 16 in-flight spectra of eight SEVO sample cells. Spectra from the PAH thin film in a water-vapor-containing microenvironment indicate measurable change due to solar irradiation in orbit, while three other nominally water-free microenvironments show no appreciable change. The quinone anthrarufin showed high photostability and no significant spectroscopically measurable change in any of the four microenvironments during the same period. The SEVO experiment provides the first in situ real-time analysis of the photostability of organic compounds and biomarkers in orbit.
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Noblet A, Stalport F, Guan YY, Poch O, Coll P, Szopa C, Cloix M, Macari F, Raulin F, Chaput D, Cottin H. The PROCESS experiment: amino and carboxylic acids under Mars-like surface UV radiation conditions in low-earth orbit. ASTROBIOLOGY 2012; 12:436-444. [PMID: 22680690 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The search for organic molecules at the surface of Mars is a top priority of the next Mars exploration space missions: Mars Science Laboratory (NASA) and ExoMars (ESA). The detection of organic matter could provide information about the presence of a prebiotic chemistry or even biological activity on this planet. Therefore, a key step in interpretation of future data collected by these missions is to understand the preservation of organic matter in the martian environment. Several laboratory experiments have been devoted to quantifying and qualifying the evolution of organic molecules under simulated environmental conditions of Mars. However, these laboratory simulations are limited, and one major constraint is the reproduction of the UV spectrum that reaches the surface of Mars. As part of the PROCESS experiment of the European EXPOSE-E mission on board the International Space Station, a study was performed on the photodegradation of organics under filtered extraterrestrial solar electromagnetic radiation that mimics Mars-like surface UV radiation conditions. Glycine, serine, phthalic acid, phthalic acid in the presence of a mineral phase, and mellitic acid were exposed to these conditions for 1.5 years, and their evolution was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy after their retrieval. The results were compared with data from laboratory experiments. A 1.5-year exposure to Mars-like surface UV radiation conditions in space resulted in complete degradation of the organic compounds. Half-lives between 50 and 150 h for martian surface conditions were calculated from both laboratory and low-Earth orbit experiments. The results highlight that none of those organics are stable under low-Earth orbit solar UV radiation conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Noblet
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Créteil, France
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Rabbow E, Rettberg P, Barczyk S, Bohmeier M, Parpart A, Panitz C, Horneck G, von Heise-Rotenburg R, Hoppenbrouwers T, Willnecker R, Baglioni P, Demets R, Dettmann J, Reitz G. EXPOSE-E: an ESA astrobiology mission 1.5 years in space. ASTROBIOLOGY 2012; 12:374-86. [PMID: 22680684 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The multi-user facility EXPOSE-E was designed by the European Space Agency to enable astrobiology research in space (low-Earth orbit). On 7 February 2008, EXPOSE-E was carried to the International Space Station (ISS) on the European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF) platform in the cargo bay of Space Shuttle STS-122 Atlantis. The facility was installed at the starboard cone of the Columbus module by extravehicular activity, where it remained in space for 1.5 years. EXPOSE-E was returned to Earth with STS-128 Discovery on 12 September 2009 for subsequent sample analysis. EXPOSE-E provided accommodation in three exposure trays for a variety of astrobiological test samples that were exposed to selected space conditions: either to space vacuum, solar electromagnetic radiation at >110 nm and cosmic radiation (trays 1 and 3) or to simulated martian surface conditions (tray 2). Data on UV radiation, cosmic radiation, and temperature were measured every 10 s and downlinked by telemetry. A parallel mission ground reference (MGR) experiment was performed on ground with a parallel set of hardware and samples under simulated space conditions. EXPOSE-E performed a successful 1.5-year mission in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Rabbow
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR) , Cologne, Germany.
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