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Bashir AK, Wink L, Duller S, Schwendner P, Cockell C, Rettberg P, Mahnert A, Beblo-Vranesevic K, Bohmeier M, Rabbow E, Gaboyer F, Westall F, Walter N, Cabezas P, Garcia-Descalzo L, Gomez F, Malki M, Amils R, Ehrenfreund P, Monaghan E, Vannier P, Marteinsson V, Erlacher A, Tanski G, Strauss J, Bashir M, Riedo A, Moissl-Eichinger C. Taxonomic and functional analyses of intact microbial communities thriving in extreme, astrobiology-relevant, anoxic sites. Microbiome 2021; 9:50. [PMID: 33602336 PMCID: PMC7893877 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00989-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extreme terrestrial, analogue environments are widely used models to study the limits of life and to infer habitability of extraterrestrial settings. In contrast to Earth's ecosystems, potential extraterrestrial biotopes are usually characterized by a lack of oxygen. METHODS In the MASE project (Mars Analogues for Space Exploration), we selected representative anoxic analogue environments (permafrost, salt-mine, acidic lake and river, sulfur springs) for the comprehensive analysis of their microbial communities. We assessed the microbiome profile of intact cells by propidium monoazide-based amplicon and shotgun metagenome sequencing, supplemented with an extensive cultivation effort. RESULTS The information retrieved from microbiome analyses on the intact microbial community thriving in the MASE sites, together with the isolation of 31 model microorganisms and successful binning of 15 high-quality genomes allowed us to observe principle pathways, which pinpoint specific microbial functions in the MASE sites compared to moderate environments. The microorganisms were characterized by an impressive machinery to withstand physical and chemical pressures. All levels of our analyses revealed the strong and omnipresent dependency of the microbial communities on complex organic matter. Moreover, we identified an extremotolerant cosmopolitan group of 34 poly-extremophiles thriving in all sites. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal the presence of a core microbiome and microbial taxonomic similarities between saline and acidic anoxic environments. Our work further emphasizes the importance of the environmental, terrestrial parameters for the functionality of a microbial community, but also reveals a high proportion of living microorganisms in extreme environments with a high adaptation potential within habitability borders. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kristin Bashir
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Wink
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Stefanie Duller
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Petra Schwendner
- UK Center for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Charles Cockell
- UK Center for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexander Mahnert
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Elke Rabbow
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Frederic Gaboyer
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherché Scientifique (CNRS), Orléans, France
| | - Frances Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherché Scientifique (CNRS), Orléans, France
| | | | | | - Laura Garcia-Descalzo
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial – Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | - Felipe Gomez
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial – Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mustapha Malki
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Amils
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Euan Monaghan
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Viggo Marteinsson
- MATIS, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Armin Erlacher
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - George Tanski
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jens Strauss
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Mina Bashir
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Riedo
- Sackler Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
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Beblo-Vranesevic K, Bohmeier M, Schleumer S, Rabbow E, Perras AK, Moissl-Eichinger C, Schwendner P, Cockell CS, Vannier P, Marteinsson VT, Monaghan EP, Riedo A, Ehrenfreund P, Garcia-Descalzo L, Gómez F, Malki M, Amils R, Gaboyer F, Hickman-Lewis K, Westall F, Cabezas P, Walter N, Rettberg P. Impact of Simulated Martian Conditions on (Facultatively) Anaerobic Bacterial Strains from Different Mars Analogue Sites. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2020; 38:103-122. [DOI: 10.21775/cimb.038.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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de Vera JP, Alawi M, Backhaus T, Baqué M, Billi D, Böttger U, Berger T, Bohmeier M, Cockell C, Demets R, de la Torre Noetzel R, Edwards H, Elsaesser A, Fagliarone C, Fiedler A, Foing B, Foucher F, Fritz J, Hanke F, Herzog T, Horneck G, Hübers HW, Huwe B, Joshi J, Kozyrovska N, Kruchten M, Lasch P, Lee N, Leuko S, Leya T, Lorek A, Martínez-Frías J, Meessen J, Moritz S, Moeller R, Olsson-Francis K, Onofri S, Ott S, Pacelli C, Podolich O, Rabbow E, Reitz G, Rettberg P, Reva O, Rothschild L, Sancho LG, Schulze-Makuch D, Selbmann L, Serrano P, Szewzyk U, Verseux C, Wadsworth J, Wagner D, Westall F, Wolter D, Zucconi L. Limits of Life and the Habitability of Mars: The ESA Space Experiment BIOMEX on the ISS. Astrobiology 2019; 19:145-157. [PMID: 30742496 PMCID: PMC6383581 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BIOMEX (BIOlogy and Mars EXperiment) is an ESA/Roscosmos space exposure experiment housed within the exposure facility EXPOSE-R2 outside the Zvezda module on the International Space Station (ISS). The design of the multiuser facility supports-among others-the BIOMEX investigations into the stability and level of degradation of space-exposed biosignatures such as pigments, secondary metabolites, and cell surfaces in contact with a terrestrial and Mars analog mineral environment. In parallel, analysis on the viability of the investigated organisms has provided relevant data for evaluation of the habitability of Mars, for the limits of life, and for the likelihood of an interplanetary transfer of life (theory of lithopanspermia). In this project, lichens, archaea, bacteria, cyanobacteria, snow/permafrost algae, meristematic black fungi, and bryophytes from alpine and polar habitats were embedded, grown, and cultured on a mixture of martian and lunar regolith analogs or other terrestrial minerals. The organisms and regolith analogs and terrestrial mineral mixtures were then exposed to space and to simulated Mars-like conditions by way of the EXPOSE-R2 facility. In this special issue, we present the first set of data obtained in reference to our investigation into the habitability of Mars and limits of life. This project was initiated and implemented by the BIOMEX group, an international and interdisciplinary consortium of 30 institutes in 12 countries on 3 continents. Preflight tests for sample selection, results from ground-based simulation experiments, and the space experiments themselves are presented and include a complete overview of the scientific processes required for this space experiment and postflight analysis. The presented BIOMEX concept could be scaled up to future exposure experiments on the Moon and will serve as a pretest in low Earth orbit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pierre de Vera
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Management and Infrastructure, Research Group Astrobiological Laboratories, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mashal Alawi
- GFZ, German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Theresa Backhaus
- Institut für Botanik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität (HHU), Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mickael Baqué
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Management and Infrastructure, Research Group Astrobiological Laboratories, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniela Billi
- University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department of Biology, Rome, Italy
| | - Ute Böttger
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute for Optical Sensor Systems, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Berger
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Köln, Germany
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Köln, Germany
| | - Charles Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - René Demets
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk, the Netherlands
| | - Rosa de la Torre Noetzel
- Departamento de Observación de la Tierra, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Howell Edwards
- Raman Spectroscopy Group, University Analytical Centre, Division of Chemical and Forensic Sciences, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Andreas Elsaesser
- Institut für experimentelle Physik, Experimentelle Molekulare Biophysik, Frei Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Annelie Fiedler
- University of Potsdam, Biodiversity Research/Systematic Botany, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Bernard Foing
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk, the Netherlands
| | - Frédéric Foucher
- CNRS, Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, UPR 4301, Orléans, France
| | - Jörg Fritz
- Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franziska Hanke
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute for Optical Sensor Systems, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Herzog
- TH Wildau (Technical University of Applied Sciences), Wildau, Germany
| | - Gerda Horneck
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Köln, Germany
| | - Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute for Optical Sensor Systems, Berlin, Germany
| | - Björn Huwe
- University of Potsdam, Biodiversity Research/Systematic Botany, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jasmin Joshi
- University of Potsdam, Biodiversity Research/Systematic Botany, Potsdam, Germany
- Hochschule für Technik HSR Rapperswil, Institute for Landscape and Open Space, Rapperswil, Switzerland
| | | | - Martha Kruchten
- Institut für Botanik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität (HHU), Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Peter Lasch
- Robert Koch Institute, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Berlin, Germany
| | - Natuschka Lee
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Stefan Leuko
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Köln, Germany
| | - Thomas Leya
- Extremophile Research & Biobank CCCryo, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
| | - Andreas Lorek
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Management and Infrastructure, Research Group Astrobiological Laboratories, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Joachim Meessen
- Institut für Botanik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität (HHU), Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sophie Moritz
- University of Potsdam, Biodiversity Research/Systematic Botany, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ralf Moeller
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Köln, Germany
| | - Karen Olsson-Francis
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Sieglinde Ott
- Institut für Botanik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität (HHU), Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Claudia Pacelli
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Olga Podolich
- Institute of Molecular Biology & Genetics of NASU, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Elke Rabbow
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Köln, Germany
| | - Günther Reitz
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Köln, Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Köln, Germany
| | - Oleg Reva
- Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | | | | | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
- Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA), Mycological Section, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paloma Serrano
- GFZ, German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, Germany
- AWI, Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ulrich Szewzyk
- TU Berlin, Institute of Environmental Technology, Environmental Microbiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cyprien Verseux
- University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department of Biology, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Dirk Wagner
- GFZ, German Research Centre for Geosciences, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section 5.3 Geomicrobiology, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, Germany
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Frances Westall
- CNRS, Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, UPR 4301, Orléans, France
| | - David Wolter
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Management and Infrastructure, Research Group Astrobiological Laboratories, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
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Beblo-Vranesevic K, Bohmeier M, Perras AK, Schwendner P, Rabbow E, Moissl-Eichinger C, Cockell CS, Vannier P, Marteinsson VT, Monaghan EP, Ehrenfreund P, Garcia-Descalzo L, Gómez F, Malki M, Amils R, Gaboyer F, Westall F, Cabezas P, Walter N, Rettberg P. Lack of correlation of desiccation and radiation tolerance in microorganisms from diverse extreme environments tested under anoxic conditions. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2018; 365:4883205. [PMID: 29474542 PMCID: PMC5939664 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Four facultative anaerobic and two obligate anaerobic bacteria were isolated from extreme environments (deep subsurface halite mine, sulfidic anoxic spring, mineral-rich river) in the frame MASE (Mars Analogues for Space Exploration) project. The isolates were investigated under anoxic conditions for their survivability after desiccation up to 6 months and their tolerance to ionizing radiation up to 3000 Gy. The results indicated that tolerances to both stresses are strain-specific features. Yersinia intermedia MASE-LG-1 showed a high desiccation tolerance but its radiation tolerance was very low. The most radiation-tolerant strains were Buttiauxella sp. MASE-IM-9 and Halanaerobium sp. MASE-BB-1. In both cases, cultivable cells were detectable after an exposure to 3 kGy of ionizing radiation, but cells only survived desiccation for 90 and 30 days, respectively. Although a correlation between desiccation and ionizing radiation resistance has been hypothesized for some aerobic microorganisms, our data showed that there was no correlation between tolerance to desiccation and ionizing radiation, suggesting that the physiological basis of both forms of tolerances is not necessarily linked. In addition, these results indicated that facultative and obligate anaerobic organisms living in extreme environments possess varied species-specific tolerances to extremes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexandra K Perras
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auerbruggerplatz 15, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Petra Schwendner
- UK Center for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, EH9 3FD, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Elke Rabbow
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auerbruggerplatz 15, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Mozartgasse 12/II, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Charles S Cockell
- UK Center for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, EH9 3FD, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Viggo T Marteinsson
- MATISProkaria, Vinlandsleid 12, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Vatnsmýrarvegur 16, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Euan P Monaghan
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 Leiden, Netherland
| | - Pascale Ehrenfreund
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 Leiden, Netherland
- Space Policy Institute, George Washington University, 1957 E Street, 20052 Washington DC, USA
| | - Laura Garcia-Descalzo
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial-Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
| | - Felipe Gómez
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial-Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain
| | - Moustafa Malki
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Calle Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Amils
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Calle Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Frédéric Gaboyer
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Rue Charles Sadron, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Frances Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Rue Charles Sadron, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Patricia Cabezas
- European Science Foundation (ESF), Quai Lezay-Marnésia, 67080 Strasbourg, France
| | - Nicolas Walter
- European Science Foundation (ESF), Quai Lezay-Marnésia, 67080 Strasbourg, France
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
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Schwendner P, Bohmeier M, Rettberg P, Beblo-Vranesevic K, Gaboyer F, Moissl-Eichinger C, Perras AK, Vannier P, Marteinsson VT, Garcia-Descalzo L, Gómez F, Malki M, Amils R, Westall F, Riedo A, Monaghan EP, Ehrenfreund P, Cabezas P, Walter N, Cockell C. Beyond Chloride Brines: Variable Metabolomic Responses in the Anaerobic Organism Yersinia intermedia MASE-LG-1 to NaCl and MgSO 4 at Identical Water Activity. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:335. [PMID: 29535699 PMCID: PMC5835128 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth in sodium chloride (NaCl) is known to induce stress in non-halophilic microorganisms leading to effects on the microbial metabolism and cell structure. Microorganisms have evolved a number of adaptations, both structural and metabolic, to counteract osmotic stress. These strategies are well-understood for organisms in NaCl-rich brines such as the accumulation of certain organic solutes (known as either compatible solutes or osmolytes). Less well studied are responses to ionic environments such as sulfate-rich brines which are prevalent on Earth but can also be found on Mars. In this paper, we investigated the global metabolic response of the anaerobic bacterium Yersinia intermedia MASE-LG-1 to osmotic salt stress induced by either magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) or NaCl at the same water activity (0.975). Using a non-targeted mass spectrometry approach, the intensity of hundreds of metabolites was measured. The compatible solutes L-asparagine and sucrose were found to be increased in both MgSO4 and NaCl compared to the control sample, suggesting a similar osmotic response to different ionic environments. We were able to demonstrate that Yersinia intermedia MASE-LG-1 accumulated a range of other compatible solutes. However, we also found the global metabolic responses, especially with regard to amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism, to be salt-specific, thus, suggesting ion-specific regulation of specific metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Schwendner
- School of Physics and Astronomy, UK Center for Astrobiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
| | - Frédéric Gaboyer
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orléans, France
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Alexandra K. Perras
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Viggó T. Marteinsson
- MATIS - Prokaria, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Felipe Gómez
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial - Centro de Astrobiología, Madrid, Spain
| | - Moustafa Malki
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO, CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Amils
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO, CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Frances Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orléans, France
| | - Andreas Riedo
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Pascale Ehrenfreund
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
- Space Policy Institute, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Patricia Cabezas
- Space Policy Institute, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
- European Science Foundation, Strasbourg, France
| | - Nicolas Walter
- Space Policy Institute, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
- European Science Foundation, Strasbourg, France
| | - Charles Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, UK Center for Astrobiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Beblo-Vranesevic K, Bohmeier M, Perras AK, Schwendner P, Rabbow E, Moissl-Eichinger C, Cockell CS, Pukall R, Vannier P, Marteinsson VT, Monaghan EP, Ehrenfreund P, Garcia-Descalzo L, Gómez F, Malki M, Amils R, Gaboyer F, Westall F, Cabezas P, Walter N, Rettberg P. The responses of an anaerobic microorganism, Yersinia intermedia MASE-LG-1 to individual and combined simulated Martian stresses. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185178. [PMID: 29069099 PMCID: PMC5656303 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The limits of life of aerobic microorganisms are well understood, but the responses of anaerobic microorganisms to individual and combined extreme stressors are less well known. Motivated by an interest in understanding the survivability of anaerobic microorganisms under Martian conditions, we investigated the responses of a new isolate, Yersinia intermedia MASE-LG-1 to individual and combined stresses associated with the Martian surface. This organism belongs to an adaptable and persistent genus of anaerobic microorganisms found in many environments worldwide. The effects of desiccation, low pressure, ionizing radiation, varying temperature, osmotic pressure, and oxidizing chemical compounds were investigated. The strain showed a high tolerance to desiccation, with a decline of survivability by four orders of magnitude during a storage time of 85 days. Exposure to X-rays resulted in dose-dependent inactivation for exposure up to 600 Gy while applied doses above 750 Gy led to complete inactivation. The effects of the combination of desiccation and irradiation were additive and the survivability was influenced by the order in which they were imposed. Ionizing irradiation and subsequent desiccation was more deleterious than vice versa. By contrast, the presence of perchlorates was not found to significantly affect the survival of the Yersinia strain after ionizing radiation. These data show that the organism has the capacity to survive and grow in physical and chemical stresses, imposed individually or in combination that are associated with Martian environment. Eventually it lost its viability showing that many of the most adaptable anaerobic organisms on Earth would be killed on Mars today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexandra K. Perras
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Petra Schwendner
- School of Physics and Astronomy, UK Center for Astrobiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Elke Rabbow
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Charles S. Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, UK Center for Astrobiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Rüdiger Pukall
- German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Leibniz Institute DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Viggo T. Marteinsson
- MATIS—Prokaria, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Pascale Ehrenfreund
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, Netherland
- Space Policy Institute, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Laura Garcia-Descalzo
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial—Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | - Felipe Gómez
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial—Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Frédéric Gaboyer
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Orléans, France
| | - Frances Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Orléans, France
| | | | | | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
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7
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Leuko S, Bohmeier M, Hanke F, Böettger U, Rabbow E, Parpart A, Rettberg P, de Vera JPP. On the Stability of Deinoxanthin Exposed to Mars Conditions during a Long-Term Space Mission and Implications for Biomarker Detection on Other Planets. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1680. [PMID: 28966605 PMCID: PMC5605620 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Outer space, the final frontier, is a hostile and unforgiving place for any form of life as we know it. The unique environment of space allows for a close simulation of Mars surface conditions that cannot be simulated as accurately on the Earth. For this experiment, we tested the resistance of Deinococcus radiodurans to survive exposure to simulated Mars-like conditions in low-Earth orbit for a prolonged period of time as part of the Biology and Mars experiment (BIOMEX) project. Special focus was placed on the integrity of the carotenoid deinoxanthin, which may serve as a potential biomarker to search for remnants of life on other planets. Survival was investigated by evaluating colony forming units, damage inflicted to the 16S rRNA gene by quantitative PCR, and the integrity and detectability of deinoxanthin by Raman spectroscopy. Exposure to space conditions had a strong detrimental effect on the survival of the strains and the 16S rRNA integrity, yet results show that deinoxanthin survives exposure to conditions as they prevail on Mars. Solar radiation is not only strongly detrimental to the survival and 16S rRNA integrity but also to the Raman signal of deinoxanthin. Samples not exposed to solar radiation showed only minuscule signs of deterioration. To test whether deinoxanthin is able to withstand the tested parameters without the protection of the cell, it was extracted from cell homogenate and exposed to high/low temperatures, vacuum, germicidal UV-C radiation, and simulated solar radiation. Results obtained by Raman investigations showed a strong resistance of deinoxanthin against outer space and Mars conditions, with the only exception of the exposure to simulated solar radiation. Therefore, deinoxanthin proved to be a suitable easily detectable biomarker for the search of Earth-like organic pigment-containing life on other planets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Leuko
- German Aerospace Center, Research Group "Astrobiology", Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace MedicineKöln, Germany
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- German Aerospace Center, Research Group "Astrobiology", Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace MedicineKöln, Germany
| | - Franziska Hanke
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Optical Sensor SystemsBerlin, Germany
| | - Ute Böettger
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Optical Sensor SystemsBerlin, Germany
| | - Elke Rabbow
- German Aerospace Center, Research Group "Astrobiology", Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace MedicineKöln, Germany
| | - Andre Parpart
- German Aerospace Center, Research Group "Astrobiology", Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace MedicineKöln, Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- German Aerospace Center, Research Group "Astrobiology", Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace MedicineKöln, Germany
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8
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Gaboyer F, Le Milbeau C, Bohmeier M, Schwendner P, Vannier P, Beblo-Vranesevic K, Rabbow E, Foucher F, Gautret P, Guégan R, Richard A, Sauldubois A, Richmann P, Perras AK, Moissl-Eichinger C, Cockell CS, Rettberg P, Marteinsson, Monaghan E, Ehrenfreund P, Garcia-Descalzo L, Gomez F, Malki M, Amils R, Cabezas P, Walter N, Westall F. Mineralization and Preservation of an extremotolerant Bacterium Isolated from an Early Mars Analog Environment. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8775. [PMID: 28821776 PMCID: PMC5562696 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08929-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The artificial mineralization of a polyresistant bacterial strain isolated from an acidic, oligotrophic lake was carried out to better understand microbial (i) early mineralization and (ii) potential for further fossilisation. Mineralization was conducted in mineral matrixes commonly found on Mars and Early-Earth, silica and gypsum, for 6 months. Samples were analyzed using microbiological (survival rates), morphological (electron microscopy), biochemical (GC-MS, Microarray immunoassay, Rock-Eval) and spectroscopic (EDX, FTIR, RAMAN spectroscopy) methods. We also investigated the impact of physiological status on mineralization and long-term fossilisation by exposing cells or not to Mars-related stresses (desiccation and radiation). Bacterial populations remained viable after 6 months although the kinetics of mineralization and cell-mineral interactions depended on the nature of minerals. Detection of biosignatures strongly depended on analytical methods, successful with FTIR and EDX but not with RAMAN and immunoassays. Neither influence of stress exposure, nor qualitative and quantitative changes of detected molecules were observed as a function of mineralization time and matrix. Rock-Eval analysis suggests that potential for preservation on geological times may be possible only with moderate diagenetic and metamorphic conditions. The implications of our results for microfossil preservation in the geological record of Earth as well as on Mars are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Gaboyer
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, Orléans, France.
| | - C Le Milbeau
- Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans, UMR 7327, CNRS-Université d'Orléans, 1A Rue de la Férollerie, 45071, Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - M Bohmeier
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - P Schwendner
- UK Center for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - P Vannier
- MATIS - Prokaria, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - K Beblo-Vranesevic
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - E Rabbow
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - F Foucher
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, Orléans, France
| | - P Gautret
- Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans, UMR 7327, CNRS-Université d'Orléans, 1A Rue de la Férollerie, 45071, Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - R Guégan
- Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans, UMR 7327, CNRS-Université d'Orléans, 1A Rue de la Férollerie, 45071, Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - A Richard
- Centre de Microscopie Electronique, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France
| | - A Sauldubois
- Centre de Microscopie Electronique, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France
| | - P Richmann
- Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans, UMR 7327, CNRS-Université d'Orléans, 1A Rue de la Férollerie, 45071, Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - A K Perras
- University Regensburg, Department of Microbiology, Regensburg, Germany.,Medical University of Graz, Department of Internal Medicine, Graz, Austria
| | | | - C S Cockell
- UK Center for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - P Rettberg
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | | | - E Monaghan
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - P Ehrenfreund
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - L Garcia-Descalzo
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial - Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | - F Gomez
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial - Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | - M Malki
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - R Amils
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - P Cabezas
- European Science Foundation (ESF), Strasbourg, France
| | - N Walter
- European Science Foundation (ESF), Strasbourg, France
| | - F Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS, Orléans, France
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9
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Bornemann G, Waßer K, Tonat T, Moeller R, Bohmeier M, Hauslage J. Natural microbial populations in a water-based biowaste management system for space life support. Life Sci Space Res (Amst) 2015; 7:39-52. [PMID: 26553636 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 09/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The reutilization of wastewater is a key issue with regard to long-term space missions and planetary habitation. This study reports the design, test runs and microbiological analyses of a fixed bed biofiltration system which applies pumice grain (16-25 mm grain size, 90 m(2)/m(3) active surface) as matrix and calcium carbonate as buffer. For activation, the pumice was inoculated with garden soil known to contain a diverse community of microorganisms, thus enabling the filtration system to potentially degrade all kinds of organic matter. Current experiments over 194 days with diluted synthetic urine (7% and 20%) showed that the 7% filter units produced nitrate slowly but steadily (max. 2191 mg NO3-N/day). In the 20% units nitrate production was slower and less stable (max. 1411 mg NO3-N/day). 84% and 76% of the contained nitrogen was converted into nitrate. The low conversion rate is assumed to be due to the high flow rate, which keeps the biofilm on the pumice thin. At the same time the thin biofilm seems to prevent the activity of denitrifiers implicating the existence of a trade off between rate and the amount of nitrogen loss. Microbiological analyses identified a comparatively low number of species (26 in the filter material, 12 in the filtrate) indicating that urine serves as a strongly selective medium and filter units for the degradation of mixed feedstock have to be pre-conditioned on the intended substrates from the beginning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhild Bornemann
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Gravitational Biology, Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany.
| | - Kai Waßer
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Gravitational Biology, Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Tim Tonat
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Gravitational Biology, Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Ralf Moeller
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology, Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology, Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jens Hauslage
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Gravitational Biology, Linder Hoehe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
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10
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Moissl-Eichinger C, Pukall R, Probst AJ, Stieglmeier M, Schwendner P, Mora M, Barczyk S, Bohmeier M, Rettberg P. Lessons learned from the microbial analysis of the Herschel spacecraft during assembly, integration, and test operations. Astrobiology 2013; 13:1125-39. [PMID: 24313230 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.1024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Understanding microbial diversity in spacecraft assembly clean rooms is of major interest with respect to planetary protection considerations. A coordinated screening of different clean rooms in Europe and South America by three German institutes [Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH (DSMZ), and the Institute of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg] took place during the assembly, test, and launch operations of the Herschel spacecraft in 2006-2009. Through this campaign, we retrieved critical information regarding the microbiome within these clean rooms and on the Herschel spacecraft, which served as a model for upcoming ESA mission preparations. This "lessons learned" document summarizes and discusses the data we obtained during this sampling campaign. Additionally, we have taken the opportunity to create a database that includes all 16S rRNA gene sequences ever retrieved from molecular and cultivable diversity studies of spacecraft assembly clean rooms to compare the microbiomes of US, European, and South American facilities.
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11
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Schwendner P, Moissl-Eichinger C, Barczyk S, Bohmeier M, Pukall R, Rettberg P. Insights into the microbial diversity and bioburden in a South American spacecraft assembly clean room. Astrobiology 2013; 13:1140-54. [PMID: 24341458 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.1023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
In this study, samples from the spacecraft assembly clean room BAF (final assembly building), located at Centre Spatial Guyanais in Kourou, French Guiana, were characterized by qualitative and quantitative methods to determine the bioburden and biodiversity. The cultivation assays mainly focused on extremotolerant microorganisms that have special metabolic skills, such as the ability to grow without oxygen, fix nitrogen, grow autotrophically, or reduce sulfate. A broad range of media and growth conditions were used to simulate possible extraterrestrial environments and clean room buildings. In addition to these alternative cultivation assays, the ESA standard protocol for bioburden estimation was also applied. The phylogenetic analysis of the isolates (mainly facultative anaerobes) showed an extraordinarily broad cultivable biodiversity. Overall, 49 species were isolated and identified as members of the bacterial phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, α-, β-, γ-Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi. In addition to cultivation-based analyses, molecular techniques were also applied, including construction of a 16S rRNA gene clone library. The results indicate a wide-ranging microbial diversity (12 bacterial phyla, 34 families) that not only confirms the results of the cultivation efforts but also deepens our understanding of the noncultivable variety. Our investigations hint at a very broad, mainly uncultivated microbial diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Schwendner
- 1 Institute of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg , Regensburg, Germany
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12
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Stieglmeier M, Rettberg P, Barczyk S, Bohmeier M, Pukall R, Wirth R, Moissl-Eichinger C. Abundance and diversity of microbial inhabitants in European spacecraft-associated clean rooms. Astrobiology 2012; 12:572-85. [PMID: 22794299 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The determination of the microbial load of a spacecraft en route to interesting extraterrestrial environments is mandatory and currently based on the culturable, heat-shock-surviving portion of microbial contaminants. Our study compared these classical bioburden measurements as required by NASA's and ESA's guidelines for the microbial examination of flight hardware, with molecular analysis methods (16S rRNA gene cloning and quantitative PCR) to further develop our understanding of the diversity and abundance of the microbial communities of spacecraft-associated clean rooms. Three samplings of the Herschel Space Observatory and its surrounding clean rooms were performed in two different European facilities. Molecular analyses detected a broad diversity of microbes typically found in the human microbiome with three bacterial genera (Staphylococcus, Propionibacterium, and Brevundimonas) common to all three locations. Bioburden measurements revealed a low, but heterogeneous, abundance of spore-forming and other heat-resistant microorganisms. Total cell numbers estimated by quantitative real-time PCR were typically 3 orders of magnitude greater than those determined by viable counts, which indicates a tendency for traditional methods to underestimate the extent of clean room bioburden. Furthermore, the molecular methods allowed the detection of a much broader diversity than traditional culture-based methods.
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13
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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