Methods in Microbiology, pages 3-26

Microbiology of the Built Environment in Spacecraft Used for Human Flight

Jiseon Yang 1
Starla G. Thornhill 2
Jennifer Barrila 1
Cheryl A. Nickerson 1
Charlie Mark Ott 3
ROBERT J. C. McLEAN 2
Publication typeBook Chapter
Publication date2018-08-31
SJR
CiteScore1.5
Impact factor
ISSN05809517
Abstract
Spacecraft, associated with human spaceflight, is one of the more unusual microbial environments. In contrast to other terrestrial environments, microorganisms within spacecraft are completely isolated from the rest of the biosphere and experience greatly reduced gravity (microgravity) and increased exposure to solar radiation. Microorganisms are introduced to this environment primarily through the microbiomes associated with spacecrew, as well as small numbers of microorganisms inadvertently introduced with supplies and equipment. In short-term studies (< 96 h) conducted during spaceflight, microgravity has been shown to influence the physiology and gene expression of several microorganisms. These studies can be modelled and extended on Earth using modelled microgravity (MMG) devices. Initial MMG studies, using microbial evolution approaches, show the potential for some microorganisms to develop altered phenotypes in response to microgravity, which in some instances persist during their return to full gravity (1 g) conditions. Extended space missions beyond low Earth orbit must consider microbial changes to virulence and antibiotic susceptibility in the context of microgravity-induced changes in the immune responses of spacecrew. As well microbial interactions with structural materials and life support functions must also be considered. In this chapter, we review current literature, focusing on studies conducted with the International Space Station.
Minich J.J., Zhu Q., Janssen S., Hendrickson R., Amir A., Vetter R., Hyde J., Doty M.M., Stillwell K., Benardini J., Kim J.H., Allen E.E., Venkateswaran K., Knight R.
mSystems scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2018-06-26 citations by CoLab: 109 PDF Abstract  
Various indoor, outdoor, and host-associated environments contain small quantities of microbial biomass and represent a niche that is often understudied because of technical constraints. Many studies that attempt to evaluate these low-biomass microbiome samples are riddled with erroneous results that are typically false positive signals obtained during the sampling process. We have investigated various low-biomass kits and methods to determine the limit of detection of these pipelines. Here we present KatharoSeq, a high-throughput protocol combining laboratory and bioinformatic methods that can differentiate a true positive signal in samples with as few as 50 to 500 cells. We demonstrate the application of this method in three unique low-biomass environments, including a SAF, a hospital NICU, and an abalone-rearing facility.
Carpentier W.R., Charles J.B., Shelhamer M., Hackler A.S., Johnson T.L., Domingo C.M., Sutton J.P., Scott G.B., Wotring V.E.
npj Microgravity scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2018-03-13 citations by CoLab: 17 PDF Abstract  
The United States first sent humans into space during six flights of Project Mercury from May 1961 to May 1963. These flights were brief, with durations ranging from about 15 min to just over 34 h. A primary purpose of the project was to determine if humans could perform meaningful tasks while in space. This was supported by a series of biomedical measurements on each astronaut before, during (when feasible), and after flight to document the effects of exposure to the spaceflight environment. While almost all of the data presented here have been published in technical reports, this is the first integrated summary of the main results. One unexpected finding emerges: the major physiological changes associated with these short-term spaceflights are correlated more strongly with time spent by the astronaut in a spacesuit than with time spent in space per se. Thus, exposure to the direct stressors of short-duration (up to 34 h) spaceflight was not the dominant factor influencing human health and performance. This is relevant to current spaceflight programs and especially to upcoming commercial flights in which time spent in space (as on a suborbital flight) will be minor compared to the time spent in associated preparation, ascent, and return.
Niederwieser T., Kociolek P., Klaus D.
Life Sciences in Space Research scimago Q2 wos Q2
2018-02-01 citations by CoLab: 30 Abstract  
An Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is necessary for humans to survive in the hostile environment of space. As future missions move beyond Earth orbit for extended durations, reclaiming human metabolic waste streams for recycled use becomes increasingly important. Historically, these functions have been accomplished using a variety of physical and chemical processes with limited recycling capabilities. In contrast, biological systems can also be incorporated into a spacecraft to essentially mimic the balance of photosynthesis and respiration that occurs in Earth's ecosystem, along with increasing the reuse of biomass throughout the food chain. In particular, algal photobioreactors that use Chlorella vulgaris have been identified as potential multifunctional components for use as part of such a bioregenerative life support system (BLSS). However, a connection between the biological research examining C. vulgaris behavior and the engineered spacecraft cabin environmental conditions has not yet been thoroughly established. This review article characterizes the ranges of prior and expected cabin parameters (e.g. temperature, lighting, carbon dioxide, pH, oxygen, pressure, growth media, contamination, gravity, and radiation) and reviews algal metabolic response (e.g. growth rate, composition, carbon dioxide fixation rates, and oxygen evolution rates) to changes in those parameters that have been reported in prior space research and from related Earth-based experimental observations. Based on our findings, it appears that C. vulgaris offers many promising advantages for use in a BLSS. Typical atmospheric conditions found in spacecraft such as elevated carbon dioxide levels are, in fact, beneficial for algal cultivation. Other spacecraft cabin parameters, however, introduce unique environmental factors, such as reduced total pressure with elevated oxygen concentration, increased radiation, and altered gravity, whose effects on the biological responses of C. vulgaris are not yet well understood. A summary of optimum growth parameter ranges for C. vulgaris is presented in this article as a guideline for designing and integrating an algal photobioreactor into a spacecraft life support system. Additional research challenges for evaluating as of yet uncharacterized parameters are also identified in this article that have the potential for improving spaceflight applications as well as terrestrial aquatic algal cultivation systems.
Castro-Wallace S.L., Chiu C.Y., John K.K., Stahl S.E., Rubins K.H., McIntyre A.B., Dworkin J.P., Lupisella M.L., Smith D.J., Botkin D.J., Stephenson T.A., Juul S., Turner D.J., Izquierdo F., Federman S., et. al.
Scientific Reports scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2017-12-15 citations by CoLab: 252 PDF Abstract  
We evaluated the performance of the MinION DNA sequencer in-flight on the International Space Station (ISS), and benchmarked its performance off-Earth against the MinION, Illumina MiSeq, and PacBio RS II sequencing platforms in terrestrial laboratories. Samples contained equimolar mixtures of genomic DNA from lambda bacteriophage, Escherichia coli (strain K12, MG1655) and Mus musculus (female BALB/c mouse). Nine sequencing runs were performed aboard the ISS over a 6-month period, yielding a total of 276,882 reads with no apparent decrease in performance over time. From sequence data collected aboard the ISS, we constructed directed assemblies of the ~4.6 Mb E. coli genome, ~48.5 kb lambda genome, and a representative M. musculus sequence (the ~16.3 kb mitochondrial genome), at 100%, 100%, and 96.7% consensus pairwise identity, respectively; de novo assembly of the E. coli genome from raw reads yielded a single contig comprising 99.9% of the genome at 98.6% consensus pairwise identity. Simulated real-time analyses of in-flight sequence data using an automated bioinformatic pipeline and laptop-based genomic assembly demonstrated the feasibility of sequencing analysis and microbial identification aboard the ISS. These findings illustrate the potential for sequencing applications including disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and elucidating the molecular basis for how organisms respond to spaceflight.
Boguraev A., Christensen H.C., Bonneau A.R., Pezza J.A., Nichols N.M., Giraldez A.J., Gray M.M., Wagner B.M., Aken J.T., Foley K.D., Copeland D.S., Kraves S., Alvarez Saavedra E.
npj Microgravity scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2017-11-16 citations by CoLab: 34 PDF Abstract  
As the range and duration of human ventures into space increase, it becomes imperative that we understand the effects of the cosmic environment on astronaut health. Molecular technologies now widely used in research and medicine will need to become available in space to ensure appropriate care of astronauts. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the gold standard for DNA analysis, yet its potential for use on-orbit remains under-explored. We describe DNA amplification aboard the International Space Station (ISS) through the use of a miniaturized miniPCR system. Target sequences in plasmid, zebrafish genomic DNA, and bisulfite-treated DNA were successfully amplified under a variety of conditions. Methylation-specific primers differentially amplified bisulfite-treated samples as would be expected under standard laboratory conditions. Our findings establish proof of concept for targeted detection of DNA sequences during spaceflight and lay a foundation for future uses ranging from environmental monitoring to on-orbit diagnostics.
Castro-Wallace S., Stahl S., Voorhies A., Lorenzi H., Douglas G.L.
Acta Astronautica scimago Q1 wos Q1
2017-10-01 citations by CoLab: 22 Abstract  
The introduction of probiotic microbes into the spaceflight food system has the potential for use as a safe, non-invasive, daily countermeasure to crew microbiome and immune dysregulation. However, the microgravity effects on the stress tolerances and gene expression of probiotic bacteria must be investigated to confirm that benefits of selected strains will still be conveyed under microgravity conditions. The goal of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 in a microgravity analog environment. L. acidophilus was cultured anaerobically under modeled microgravity conditions and assessed for differences in growth, survival through stress challenge, and gene expression compared to control cultures. No significant differences were observed between the modeled microgravity and control grown L. acidophilus, suggesting that this strain will behave similarly in spaceflight.
Parra M., Jung J., Boone T.D., Tran L., Blaber E.A., Brown M., Chin M., Chinn T., Cohen J., Doebler R., Hoang D., Hyde E., Lera M., Luzod L.T., Mallinson M., et. al.
PLoS ONE scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2017-09-06 citations by CoLab: 37 PDF Abstract  
The International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory is dedicated to studying the effects of space on life and physical systems, and to developing new science and technologies for space exploration. A key aspect of achieving these goals is to operate the ISS National Lab more like an Earth-based laboratory, conducting complex end-to-end experimentation, not limited to simple microgravity exposure. Towards that end NASA developed a novel suite of molecular biology laboratory tools, reagents, and methods, named WetLab-2, uniquely designed to operate in microgravity, and to process biological samples for real-time gene expression analysis on-orbit. This includes a novel fluidic RNA Sample Preparation Module and fluid transfer devices, all-in-one lyophilized PCR assays, centrifuge, and a real-time PCR thermal cycler. Here we describe the results from the WetLab-2 validation experiments conducted in microgravity during ISS increment 47/SPX-8. Specifically, quantitative PCR was performed on a concentration series of DNA calibration standards, and Reverse Transcriptase-quantitative PCR was conducted on RNA extracted and purified on-orbit from frozen Escherichia coli and mouse liver tissue. Cycle threshold (Ct) values and PCR efficiencies obtained on-orbit from DNA standards were similar to Earth (1 g) controls. Also, on-orbit multiplex analysis of gene expression from bacterial cells and mammalian tissue RNA samples was successfully conducted in about 3 h, with data transmitted within 2 h of experiment completion. Thermal cycling in microgravity resulted in the trapping of gas bubbles inside septa cap assay tubes, causing small but measurable increases in Ct curve noise and variability. Bubble formation was successfully suppressed in a rapid follow-up on-orbit experiment using standard caps to pressurize PCR tubes and reduce gas release during heating cycles. The WetLab-2 facility now provides a novel operational on-orbit research capability for molecular biology and demonstrates the feasibility of more complex wet bench experiments in the ISS National Lab environment.
Zea L., Larsen M., Estante F., Qvortrup K., Moeller R., Dias de Oliveira S., Stodieck L., Klaus D.
Frontiers in Microbiology scimago Q1 wos Q2 Open Access
2017-08-28 citations by CoLab: 84 PDF Abstract  
Bacteria will accompany humans in our exploration of space, making it of importance to study their adaptation to the microgravity environment. To investigate potential phenotypic changes for bacteria grown in space, Escherichia coli was cultured onboard the International Space Station with matched controls on Earth. Samples were challenged with different concentrations of gentamicin sulfate to study the role of drug concentration on the dependent variables in the space environment. Analyses included assessments of final cell count, cell size, cell envelope thickness, cell ultrastructure, and culture morphology. A 13-fold increase in final cell count was observed in space with respect to the ground controls. Contrast light microscopy and Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB/SEM) showed that, on average, cells in space were 37% of the volume of their matched controls, which may alter the rate of molecule-cell interactions in a diffusion-limited mass transport regime as is expected to occur in microgravity. TEM imagery showed an increase in cell envelope thickness of between 25% and 43% in space with respect to the Earth control group. Outer membrane vesicles were observed on the spaceflight samples, but not on the Earth cultures. While E. coli suspension cultures on Earth were homogenously distributed throughout the liquid medium, in space they tended to form a cluster, leaving the surrounding medium visibly clear of cells. This cell aggregation behavior may be associated with enhanced biofilm formation observed in other spaceflight experiments.
Be N.A., Avila-Herrera A., Allen J.E., Singh N., Checinska Sielaff A., Jaing C., Venkateswaran K.
Microbiome scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2017-07-17 citations by CoLab: 55 PDF Abstract  
The built environment of the International Space Station (ISS) is a highly specialized space in terms of both physical characteristics and habitation requirements. It is unique with respect to conditions of microgravity, exposure to space radiation, and increased carbon dioxide concentrations. Additionally, astronauts inhabit a large proportion of this environment. The microbial composition of ISS particulates has been reported; however, its functional genomics, which are pertinent due to potential impact of its constituents on human health and operational mission success, are not yet characterized. This study examined the whole metagenome of ISS microbes at both species- and gene-level resolution. Air filter and dust samples from the ISS were analyzed and compared to samples collected in a terrestrial cleanroom environment. Furthermore, metagenome mining was carried out to characterize dominant, virulent, and novel microorganisms. The whole genome sequences of select cultivable strains isolated from these samples were extracted from the metagenome and compared. Species-level composition in the ISS was found to be largely dominated by Corynebacterium ihumii GD7, with overall microbial diversity being lower in the ISS relative to the cleanroom samples. When examining detection of microbial genes relevant to human health such as antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes, it was found that a larger number of relevant gene categories were observed in the ISS relative to the cleanroom. Strain-level cross-sample comparisons were made for Corynebacterium, Bacillus, and Aspergillus showing possible distinctions in the dominant strain between samples. Species-level analyses demonstrated distinct differences between the ISS and cleanroom samples, indicating that the cleanroom population is not necessarily reflective of space habitation environments. The overall population of viable microorganisms and the functional diversity inherent to this unique closed environment are of critical interest with respect to future space habitation. Observations and studies such as these will be important to evaluating the conditions required for long-term health of human occupants in such environments.
Tirumalai M.R., Karouia F., Tran Q., Stepanov V.G., Bruce R.J., Ott C.M., Pierson D.L., Fox G.E.
npj Microgravity scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2017-05-23 citations by CoLab: 49 PDF Abstract  
Microorganisms impact spaceflight in a variety of ways. They play a positive role in biological systems, such as waste water treatment but can be problematic through buildups of biofilms that can affect advanced life support. Of special concern is the possibility that during extended missions, the microgravity environment will provide positive selection for undesirable genomic changes. Such changes could affect microbial antibiotic sensitivity and possibly pathogenicity. To evaluate this possibility, Escherichia coli (lac plus) cells were grown for over 1000 generations on Luria Broth medium under low-shear modeled microgravity conditions in a high aspect rotating vessel. This is the first study of its kind to grow bacteria for multiple generations over an extended period under low-shear modeled microgravity. Comparisons were made to a non-adaptive control strain using growth competitions. After 1000 generations, the final low-shear modeled microgravity-adapted strain readily outcompeted the unadapted lac minus strain. A portion of this advantage was maintained when the low-shear modeled microgravity strain was first grown in a shake flask environment for 10, 20, or 30 generations of growth. Genomic sequencing of the 1000 generation strain revealed 16 mutations. Of the five changes affecting codons, none were neutral. It is not clear how significant these mutations are as individual changes or as a group. It is concluded that part of the long-term adaptation to low-shear modeled microgravity is likely genomic. The strain was monitored for acquisition of antibiotic resistance by VITEK analysis throughout the adaptation period. Despite the evidence of genomic adaptation, resistance to a variety of antibiotics was never observed. Bacteria grown for an extended period of time under simulated microgravity adopt growth advantages. George Fox and colleagues from the University of Houston, Texas, USA, cultured Escherichia coli bacteria for 1000 generations in a high aspect rotating vessel to simulate the low fluid shear microgravity environment encountered during spaceflight. They then performed growth competition assays and found that the 1000-generation adapted bacteria outcompeted control bacteria grown without simulated microgravity. Genomic sequencing of the adapted bacteria revealed 16 mutations, five of which altered protein sequences. These DNA changes likely explain the growth advantage of the bacteria grown for multiple generations in simulated microgravity. Similar adaptations during prolonged space missions could result in nastier pathogens that might threaten the health of astronauts. Fortunately, the microbes did not appear to acquire antibiotic resistance over the 1000 generation in the modeled microgravity culture.
Byloos B., Coninx I., Van Hoey O., Cockell C., Nicholson N., Ilyin V., Van Houdt R., Boon N., Leys N.
Frontiers in Microbiology scimago Q1 wos Q2 Open Access
2017-04-28 citations by CoLab: 20 PDF Abstract  
Microbe-mineral interactions have become of interest for space exploration as microorganisms could be used to biomine from extra-terrestrial material and extract elements useful as micronutrients in e.g. life support systems. This research aimed to identify the impact of space flight on the long-term survival of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 in mineral water and the interaction with basalt, a lunar-type rock in preparation for the ESA spaceflight experiment, BIOROCK. C. metallidurans CH34 cells were suspended in mineral water supplemented with or without crushed basalt and send for three months on board the Russian FOTON-M4 capsule. Afterwards, cell physiology analysis (by flow cytometry), cultivability analysis (by plate count), element analysis (by ICP-OES) and biofilm analysis (by scanning electron microscopy) were performed to study the effects of basalt and space conditions on C. metallidurans and element leaching and interaction with basalt. Space flight counteracted some of the detrimental effects seen during survival of C. metallidurans cells, after the three month storage at ambient conditions (18°C). Long-term storage had a significant impact on cell physiology and energy status as 60% of cells stored on ground lost their cell membrane potential, only 17% were still active, average ATP levels per cell were significantly lower and cultivability dropped to 1%. The cells stored in the presence of basalt and exposed to space flight conditions during storage however showed less dramatic changes in physiology, with only 16% of the cells lost their cell membrane potential and 24% were still active, leading to a higher cultivability (50%) and indicating a general positive effect of basalt and space flight on survival. Microbe-mineral interactions and biofilm formation was altered by spaceflight as less biofilm was formed on the basalt during flight conditions. Leaching from basalt also changed, showing that cells release more copper from basalt and the presence of cells also impacted iron and magnesium concentration irrespective of the presence of basalt.
Casaburi G., Goncharenko-Foster I., Duscher A.A., Foster J.S.
Scientific Reports scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2017-04-10 citations by CoLab: 19 PDF Abstract  
Spaceflight imposes numerous adaptive challenges for terrestrial life. The reduction in gravity, or microgravity, represents a novel environment that can disrupt homeostasis of many physiological processes. Additionally, it is becoming increasingly clear that an organism’s microbiome is critical for host health and examining its resiliency in microgravity represents a new frontier for space biology research. In this study, we examine the impact of microgravity on the interactions between the squid Euprymna scolopes and its beneficial symbiont Vibrio fischeri, which form a highly specific binary mutualism. First, animals inoculated with V. fischeri aboard the space shuttle showed effective colonization of the host light organ, the site of the symbiosis, during space flight. Second, RNA-Seq analysis of squid exposed to modeled microgravity conditions exhibited extensive differential gene expression in the presence and absence of the symbiotic partner. Transcriptomic analyses revealed in the absence of the symbiont during modeled microgravity there was an enrichment of genes and pathways associated with the innate immune and oxidative stress response. The results suggest that V. fischeri may help modulate the host stress responses under modeled microgravity. This study provides a window into the adaptive responses that the host animal and its symbiont use during modeled microgravity.
Persat A.
Current Opinion in Microbiology scimago Q1 wos Q1
2017-04-01 citations by CoLab: 60 Abstract  
Bacteria rapidly adapt to changes in their environment by leveraging sensing systems that permanently probe their surroundings. One common assumption is that such systems are responsive to signals that are chemical in nature. Yet, bacteria frequently experience changes in mechanical forces, for example as they transition from planktonic to sessile states. Do single bacteria actively sense and respond to mechanical forces? I here briefly review evidence indicating that bacteria actively respond to mechanical stimuli, and along concisely describe their intricate machinery enabling the transduction of force into biochemical activity.
Lenski R.E.
American Naturalist scimago Q1 wos Q2
2017-03-01 citations by CoLab: 63 Abstract  
Suitably designed experiments offer the possibility of quantifying evolutionary convergence because the fraction of replicate populations that converge is known. Here I review an experiment with Escherichia coli, in which 12 populations were founded from the same ancestral strain and have evolved for almost 30 years and more than 65,000 generations under the same conditions. The tension between divergence and convergence has been a major focus of this experiment. I summarize analyses of competitive fitness, correlated responses to different environments, cell morphology, the capacity to use a previously untapped resource, mutation rates, genomic changes, and within-population polymorphisms. These analyses reveal convergence, divergence, and often a complicated mix thereof. Complications include concordance in the direction of evolutionary change with sustained quantitative variation among populations, and the potential for a given trait to exhibit divergence on one timescale and convergence on another. Despite these complications, which also occur in nature, experiments provide a powerful way to study evolutionary convergence based on analyzing replicate lineages that experience the same environment.
Deatherage D.E., Kepner J.L., Bennett A.F., Lenski R.E., Barrick J.E.
2017-02-15 citations by CoLab: 119 Abstract  
Significance Organisms evolve and adapt via changes in their genomes that improve survival and reproduction in the context of their environment. Few experiments have examined how these genomic signatures of adaptation, which may favor mutations in certain genes or molecular pathways, vary across a set of similar environments that have both shared and distinctive characteristics. We sequenced complete genomes from 30 Escherichia coli lineages that evolved for 2,000 generations in one of five environments that differed only in the temperatures they experienced. Particular “signature” genes acquired mutations in these bacteria in response to selection imposed by specific temperature treatments. Thus, it is sometimes possible to predict aspects of the environment recently experienced by microbial populations from changes in their genome sequences.
Akter Tani T., Scouten A., Ortiz E., McLean R.J., Tešić J.
2025-01-21 citations by CoLab: 0 Abstract  
Microbial-induced corrosion (MIC) poses a significant challenge in various industrial settings, including space and ground flight applications. Identifying and mitigating corrosion in metallic surfaces is crucial for ensuring the structural integrity and longevity of engineering systems. Segmenting MIC allows for early detection and proactive repair, which improves safety and cost efficiency in environments such as the International Space Station. This study presents a novel baseline algorithm called CLF (clustering using local features) for MIC segmentation based on traditional Non-Deep Learning techniques. We compare our approach to two advanced Deep Learning models: DeepLabv3+ and the Segment Anything Model (SAM). The SAM model is experimented with for the first time in the context of MIC segmentation. Our results on a new MIC dataset of 154 images reveal that the SAM model excels, with an excellent Accuracy of 97.59% and a Dice Score of 71.36%. These promising outcomes highlight the potential of our methodologies and establish a strong foundation for future expansions upon the availability of further data. This research sets a critical path for further comprehensive studies in the field of MIC segmentation.
Sun H., Duan M., Wu Y., Zeng Y., Zhao H., Wu S., Lin B., Yang R., Tan G.
2024-09-01 citations by CoLab: 1 Abstract  
Migration to Mars and building livable habitation gradually become prosperous and arduous roads for human progress. Although many technical breakthroughs have been achieved for supporting migration, sustainable survival on Mars needs further attention. The Mars habitation module serves as humans' first barrier from the harsh extraterrestrial conditions that people will spend almost 100% of time in the module. Thus, the indoor physical environment plays an important role in long-term and even permanent living on Mars. However, unlike developing a single technology, achieving a sustainable extraterrestrial residential environment is not simply a technical stacking but a comprehensive multidisciplinary issue that combines resources, energy, and human health. Therefore, this review gives a new angle of providing a developmental path from "habitation design to operation," illustrating a systemic outlook of promising Mars habitation environment control technologies for the sustainability of both habitation resources and the occupant's health. In this respect, relevant theories and technologies on Earth have made significant progress, which have great reference value for the development of Martian habitation. Regarding the two key points of Mars sustainable migration, namely the resources/energy and human health, a human-centered technical system of residential environment creation for outer space migration could further support future planetary exploration and migration.
Goeres D.M., Velez-Justiniano Y., Kjellerup B.V., McLean R.J.
Biofilm scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2023-12-01 citations by CoLab: 0
Santomartino R., Averesch N.J., Bhuiyan M., Cockell C.S., Colangelo J., Gumulya Y., Lehner B., Lopez-Ayala I., McMahon S., Mohanty A., Santa Maria S.R., Urbaniak C., Volger R., Yang J., Zea L.
Nature Communications scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2023-03-21 citations by CoLab: 48 PDF Abstract  
AbstractFinding sustainable approaches to achieve independence from terrestrial resources is of pivotal importance for the future of space exploration. This is relevant not only to establish viable space exploration beyond low Earth–orbit, but also for ethical considerations associated with the generation of space waste and the preservation of extra-terrestrial environments. Here we propose and highlight a series of microbial biotechnologies uniquely suited to establish sustainable processes for in situ resource utilization and loop-closure. Microbial biotechnologies research and development for space sustainability will be translatable to Earth applications, tackling terrestrial environmental issues, thereby supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Waid M., Narici L., Girgenrath M., Stang K., Marcil I., Johnson-Green P., Jennifer Ngo-Anh T., Kotov O., Murakami K., Dempsey R., McPhee J., Sato K., Siegel B., Scimemi S., Robinson J.
REACH scimago Q3
2022-09-01 citations by CoLab: 0 Abstract  
During the ISS4Mars workshops in 2020–2021, personnel from the International Space Station (ISS) partner agencies convened to reflect on scenarios for how the ISS could be used and its operations possibly modified to simulate aspects of a human mission to Mars. Scientific leaders, operations experts, crewmembers, managers, and flight surgeons discussed the five hazards of human spaceflight—gravity transitions, radiation, isolation and confinement, distance from Earth, and hostile closed environments—and considered how an ISS-based analog of Mars transit could benefit assessments and mitigations of these hazards. A focused writing team then discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each approach identified by the workshop participants before developing a set of eight use cases to consider the feasibility of implementing on the ISS. The writing team also identified the prerequisites needed, including ground analog studies simulating a mission to Mars required to verify measurements and procedures, before testing could begin on the ISS. Five of the use cases were considered feasible to assess in simulations using an ISS-based analog of Mars transit if some ground rules and assumptions were met. These five use cases were Earth-independent medical operations, Earth-independent integrated operations, life support and food for a one year duration, lower-body negative pressure as a countermeasure against the effects of exposure to microgravity, and fitness levels after landing. In addition, three more extensive interventions—extended Mars surface operations, a small-volume transit analog, and artificial gravity—were deemed unfeasible for testing on the ISS. Experience gained from the five use cases executed on the ISS may help answer some of the questions in the deferred scenarios, or it may be possible to complete them on another platform (e.g. commercial space station, lunar habitat). Simulating conditions during a Mars mission on the ISS will afford higher fidelity for assessing multiple integrated hazards of human spaceflight, however, ground analogs of Mars missions can be used to ensure effective measures and experimental design before testing begins on the ISS. The strategic concepts refined as part of these workshops were brought to a multilateral forum, Mulitlateral Human Research Planel for Exploration (MHRPE), where ISS partner agencies are now discussing implementation plans to provide new opportunities to use the ISS to prepare for deep space exploration over the coming decade. In this publication we present a summary of the international strategic plans for future research that will enable operations, software, and countermeasures to be developed that will reduce the risk to humans during future crewed missions to Mars.
Yang J., Barrila J., Mark Ott C., King O., Bruce R., McLean R.J., Nickerson C.A.
npj Biofilms and Microbiomes scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2021-09-06 citations by CoLab: 14 PDF Abstract  
While sequencing technologies have revolutionized our knowledge of microbial diversity, little is known about the dynamic emergent phenotypes that arise within the context of mixed-species populations, which are not fully predicted using sequencing technologies alone. The International Space Station (ISS) is an isolated, closed human habitat that can be harnessed for cross-sectional and longitudinal functional microbiome studies. Using NASA-archived microbial isolates collected from the ISS potable water system over several years, we profiled five phenotypes: antibiotic resistance, metabolism, hemolysis, and biofilm structure/composition of individual or multispecies communities, which represent characteristics that could negatively impact astronaut health and life-support systems. Data revealed a temporal dependence on interactive behaviors, suggesting possible microbial adaptation over time within the ecosystem. This study represents one of the most extensive phenotypic characterization of ISS potable water microbiota with implications for microbial risk assessments of water systems in built environments in space and on Earth.
Regberg A.B., Castro C.L., Connolly H.C., Davis R.E., Dworkin J.P., Lauretta D.S., Messenger S.R., Mclain H.L., McCubbin F.M., Moore J.L., Righter K., Stahl-Rommel S., Castro-Wallace S.L.
Frontiers in Microbiology scimago Q1 wos Q2 Open Access
2020-11-05 citations by CoLab: 5 PDF Abstract  
To characterize the ATLO (Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations) environment of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, we analyzed 17 aluminum witness foils and two blanks for bacterial, archaeal, fungal, and arthropod DNA. Under NASA’s Planetary Protection guidelines, OSIRIS-REx is a Category II outbound, Category V unrestricted sample return mission. As a result, it has no bioburden restrictions. However, the mission does have strict organic contamination requirements to achieve its primary objective of returning pristine carbonaceous asteroid regolith to Earth. Its target, near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, is likely to contain organic compounds that are biologically available. Therefore, it is useful to understand what organisms were present during ATLO as part of the larger contamination knowledge effort—even though it is unlikely that any of the organisms will survive the multi-year deep space journey. Despite the fact that these samples of opportunity were not collected or preserved for DNA analysis, we successfully amplified bacterial and archaeal DNA (16S rRNA gene) from 16 of the 17 witness foils containing as few as 7±3 cells per sample. Fungal DNA (ITS1) was detected in 12 of the 17 witness foils. Despite observing arthropods in some of the ATLO facilities, arthropod DNA (COI gene) was not detected. We observed 1009 bacterial and archaeal sOTUs (sub-operational taxonomic units, 100% unique) and 167 fungal sOTUs across all of our samples (25 to 84 sOTUs per sample). The most abundant bacterial sOTU belonged to the genus Bacillus. This sOTU was present in blanks and may represent contamination during sample handling or storage. The sample collected from inside the fairing just prior to launch contained several unique bacterial and fungal sOTUs that describe previously uncharacterized potential for contamination during the final phase of ATLO. Additionally, fungal richness (number of sOTUs) negatively correlates with the number of carbon-bearing particles detected on samples. The total number of fungal sequences positively correlates with total amino acid concentration. These results demonstrate that it is possible to use samples of opportunity to characterize the microbiology of low-biomass environments while also revealing the limitations imposed by sample collection and preservation methods not specifically designed with biology in mind.
Karl J.P., Barbato R.A., Doherty L.A., Gautam A., Glaven S.M., Kokoska R.J., Leary D., Mickol R.L., Perisin M.A., Hoisington A.J., Van Opstal E.J., Varaljay V., Kelley-Loughnane N., Mauzy C.A., Goodson M.S., et. al.
Environmental Microbiomes scimago Q1 wos Q1 Open Access
2020-07-13 citations by CoLab: 5 PDF Abstract  
The Tri-Service Microbiome Consortium (TSMC) was founded to enhance collaboration, coordination, and communication of microbiome research among U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) organizations and to facilitate resource, material and information sharing among consortium members. The 2019 annual symposium was held 22–24 October 2019 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. Presentations and discussions centered on microbiome-related topics within five broad thematic areas: 1) human microbiomes; 2) transitioning products into Warfighter solutions; 3) environmental microbiomes; 4) engineering microbiomes; and 5) microbiome simulation and characterization. Collectively, the symposium provided an update on the scope of current DoD microbiome research efforts, highlighted innovative research being done in academia and industry that can be leveraged by the DoD, and fostered collaborative opportunities. This report summarizes the presentations and outcomes of the 3rd annual TSMC symposium.
Amalfitano S., Levantesi C., Copetti D., Stefani F., Locantore I., Guarnieri V., Lobascio C., Bersani F., Giacosa D., Detsis E., Rossetti S.
Water Research scimago Q1 wos Q1
2020-06-01 citations by CoLab: 11 Abstract  
Space exploration is demanding longer lasting human missions and water resupply from Earth will become increasingly unrealistic. In a near future, the spacecraft water monitoring systems will require technological advances to promptly identify and counteract contingent events of waterborne microbial contamination, posing health risks to astronauts with lowered immune responsiveness. The search for bio-analytical approaches, alternative to those applied on Earth by cultivation-dependent methods, is pushed by the compelling need to limit waste disposal and avoid microbial regrowth from analytical carryovers. Prospective technologies will be selected only if first validated in a flight-like environment, by following basic principles, advantages, and limitations beyond their current applications on Earth. Starting from the water monitoring activities applied on the International Space Station, we provide a critical overview of the nucleic acid amplification-based approaches (i.e., loop-mediated isothermal amplification, quantitative PCR, and high-throughput sequencing) and early-warning methods for total microbial load assessments (i.e., ATP-metry, flow cytometry), already used at a high readiness level aboard crewed space vehicles. Our findings suggest that the forthcoming space applications of mature technologies will be necessarily bounded by a compromise between analytical performances (e.g., speed to results, identification depth, reproducibility, multiparametricity) and detrimental technical requirements (e.g., reagent usage, waste production, operator skills, crew time). As space exploration progresses toward extended missions to Moon and Mars, miniaturized systems that also minimize crew involvement in their end-to-end operation are likely applicable on the long-term and suitable for the in-flight water and microbiological research.

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