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Cinti S, Singh S, Covone G, Tonietti L, Ricciardelli A, Cordone A, Iacono R, Mazzoli A, Moracci M, Rotundi A, Giovannelli D. Reviewing the state of biosensors and lab-on-a- chip technologies: opportunities for extreme environments and space exploration. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1215529. [PMID: 37664111 PMCID: PMC10470837 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1215529] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The space race is entering a new era of exploration, in which the number of robotic and human missions to various places in our solar system is rapidly increasing. Despite the recent advances in propulsion and life support technologies, there is a growing need to perform analytical measurements and laboratory experiments across diverse domains of science, while keeping low payload requirements. In this context, lab-on-a-chip nanobiosensors appear to be an emerging technology capable of revolutionizing space exploration, given their low footprint, high accuracy, and low payload requirements. To date, only some approaches for monitoring astronaut health in spacecraft environments have been reported. Although non-invasive molecular diagnostics, like lab-on-a-chip technology, are expected to improve the quality of long-term space missions, their application to monitor microbiological and environmental variables is rarely reported, even for analogous extreme environments on Earth. The possibility of evaluating the occurrence of unknown or unexpected species, identifying redox gradients relevant to microbial metabolism, or testing for specific possible biosignatures, will play a key role in the future of space microbiology. In this review, we will examine the current and potential roles of lab-on-a-chip technology in space exploration and in extreme environment investigation, reporting what has been tested so far, and clarifying the direction toward which the newly developed technologies of portable lab-on-a-chip sensors are heading for exploration in extreme environments and in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Cinti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- BAT Center-Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Bioelectronics Task Force at University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Sima Singh
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Covone
- Department of Physics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Luca Tonietti
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Angelina Cordone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Iacono
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Arianna Mazzoli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Moracci
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council of Italy, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Rotundi
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy
- INAF-IAPS, Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologie Spaziali, Rome, Italy
| | - Donato Giovannelli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- National Research Council–Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies–CNR-IRBIM, Ancona, Italy
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, United States
- Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
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Marasco R, Mapelli F, Rolli E, Mosqueira MJ, Fusi M, Bariselli P, Reddy M, Cherif A, Tsiamis G, Borin S, Daffonchio D. Salicornia strobilacea (Synonym of Halocnemum strobilaceum) Grown under Different Tidal Regimes Selects Rhizosphere Bacteria Capable of Promoting Plant Growth. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1286. [PMID: 27597846 PMCID: PMC4992691 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Halophytes classified under the common name of salicornia colonize salty and coastal environments across tidal inundation gradients. To unravel the role of tide-related regimes on the structure and functionality of root associated bacteria, the rhizospheric soil of Salicornia strobilacea (synonym of Halocnemum strobilaceum) plants was studied in a tidal zone of the coastline of Southern Tunisia. Although total counts of cultivable bacteria did not change in the rhizosphere of plants grown along a tidal gradient, significant differences were observed in the diversity of both the cultivable and uncultivable bacterial communities. This observation indicates that the tidal regime is contributing to the bacterial species selection in the rhizosphere. Despite the observed diversity in the bacterial community structure, the plant growth promoting (PGP) potential of cultivable rhizospheric bacteria, assessed through in vitro and in vivo tests, was equally distributed along the tidal gradient. Root colonization tests with selected strains proved that halophyte rhizospheric bacteria (i) stably colonize S. strobilacea rhizoplane and the plant shoot suggesting that they move from the root to the shoot and (ii) are capable of improving plant growth. The versatility in the root colonization, the overall PGP traits and the in vivo plant growth promotion under saline condition suggest that such beneficial activities likely take place naturally under a range of tidal regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Marasco
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Francesca Mapelli
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, MilanItaly
| | - Eleonora Rolli
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, MilanItaly
| | - Maria J. Mosqueira
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Marco Fusi
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Paola Bariselli
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, MilanItaly
| | - Muppala Reddy
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, ThuwalSaudi Arabia
- Greenhouse Laboratory, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Ameur Cherif
- Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie Sidi Thabet, BVBGR-LR11ES31, Manouba University, ArianaTunisia
| | - George Tsiamis
- Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Patras, Panepistimioupoli PatronGreece
| | - Sara Borin
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, MilanItaly
| | - Daniele Daffonchio
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, ThuwalSaudi Arabia
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, MilanItaly
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Krebs JE, Vaishampayan P, Probst AJ, Tom LM, Marteinsson VT, Andersen GL, Venkateswaran K. Microbial community structures of novel Icelandic hot spring systems revealed by PhyloChip G3 analysis. ASTROBIOLOGY 2014; 14:229-240. [PMID: 24588539 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.1008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Microbial community profiles of recently formed hot spring systems ranging in temperatures from 57°C to 100°C and pH values from 2 to 4 in Hveragerði (Iceland) were analyzed with PhyloChip G3 technology. In total, 1173 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) spanning 576 subfamilies and 38 archaeal OTUs covering 32 subfamilies were observed. As expected, the hyperthermophilic (∼100°C) spring system exhibited both low microbial biomass and diversity when compared to thermophilic (∼ 60°C) springs. Ordination analysis revealed distinct bacterial and archaeal diversity in geographically distinct hot springs. Slight variations in temperature (from 57°C to 64°C) within the interconnected pools led to a marked fluctuation in microbial abundance and diversity. Correlation and PERMANOVA tests provided evidence that temperature was the key environmental factor responsible for microbial community dynamics, while pH, H2S, and SO2 influenced the abundance of specific microbial groups. When archaeal community composition was analyzed, the majority of detected OTUs correlated negatively with temperature, and few correlated positively with pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan E Krebs
- 1 Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory , California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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