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Verbeelen T, Fernandez CA, Nguyen TH, Gupta S, Aarts R, Tabury K, Leroy B, Wattiez R, Vlaeminck SE, Leys N, Ganigué R, Mastroleo F. Whole transcriptome analysis highlights nutrient limitation of nitrogen cycle bacteria in simulated microgravity. NPJ Microgravity 2024; 10:3. [PMID: 38200027 PMCID: PMC10781756 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00345-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Regenerative life support systems (RLSS) will play a vital role in achieving self-sufficiency during long-distance space travel. Urine conversion into a liquid nitrate-based fertilizer is a key process in most RLSS. This study describes the effects of simulated microgravity (SMG) on Comamonas testosteroni, Nitrosomonas europaea, Nitrobacter winogradskyi and a tripartite culture of the three, in the context of nitrogen recovery for the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA). Rotary cell culture systems (RCCS) and random positioning machines (RPM) were used as SMG analogues. The transcriptional responses of the cultures were elucidated. For CO2-producing C. testosteroni and the tripartite culture, a PermaLifeTM PL-70 cell culture bag mounted on an in-house 3D-printed holder was applied to eliminate air bubble formation during SMG cultivation. Gene expression changes indicated that the fluid dynamics in SMG caused nutrient and O2 limitation. Genes involved in urea hydrolysis and nitrification were minimally affected, while denitrification-related gene expression was increased. The findings highlight potential challenges for nitrogen recovery in space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Verbeelen
- Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Celia Alvarez Fernandez
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thanh Huy Nguyen
- Department of Proteomics and Microbiology, University of Mons, Av. Du Champs de Mars 6, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Surya Gupta
- Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Raf Aarts
- Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Kevin Tabury
- Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Baptiste Leroy
- Department of Proteomics and Microbiology, University of Mons, Av. Du Champs de Mars 6, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Ruddy Wattiez
- Department of Proteomics and Microbiology, University of Mons, Av. Du Champs de Mars 6, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Siegfried E Vlaeminck
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium
- Centre for Advanced Process Technology for Urban REsource Recovery (CAPTURE), Frieda Saeysstraat 1, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Natalie Leys
- Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Ramon Ganigué
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Advanced Process Technology for Urban REsource Recovery (CAPTURE), Frieda Saeysstraat 1, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Felice Mastroleo
- Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium.
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Goeres DM. Biofilm and human spaceflight. Biofilm 2023; 6:100150. [PMID: 38196503 PMCID: PMC10774301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Darla M. Goeres
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
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Su X, Fang T, Fang L, Wang D, Jiang X, Liu C, Zhang H, Guo R, Wang J. Effects of short-term exposure to simulated microgravity on the physiology of Bacillus subtilis and multiomic analysis. Can J Microbiol 2023; 69:464-478. [PMID: 37463516 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2023-0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
In our study, Bacillus subtilis was disposed to a simulated microgravity (SMG) environment in high-aspect ratio rotating-wall vessel bioreactors for 14 days, while the control group was disposed to the same bioreactors in a normal gravity (NG) environment for 14 days. The B. subtilis strain exposed to the SMG (labeled BSS) showed an enhanced growth ability, increased biofilm formation ability, increased sensitivity to ampicillin sulbactam and cefotaxime, and some metabolic alterations compared with the B. subtilis strain under NG conditions (labeled BSN) and the original strain of B. subtilis (labeled BSO). The differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) associated with an increased growth rate, such as DNA strand exchange activity, oxidoreductase activity, proton-transporting ATP synthase complex, and biosynthetic process, were significantly upregulated in BSS. The enhanced biofilm formation ability may be related with the DEPs of spore germination and protein processing in BSS, and differentially expressed genes involved in protein localization and peptide secretion were also significantly enriched. The results revealed that SMG may increase the level of related functional proteins by upregulating or downregulating affiliated genes to change physiological characteristics and modulate growth ability, biofilm formation ability (epsB, epsC, epsN), antibiotic sensitivity (penP) and metabolism. Our experiment may gives new ideas for the study of space microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Su
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Tingzheng Fang
- Sixth Department of Health Care, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Fang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Dapeng Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xuege Jiang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Changting Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Honglei Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Guo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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