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Herrera-Jordan K, Pennington P, Zea L. Reduced Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cell Size Observed on Planktonic Cultures Grown in the International Space Station. Microorganisms 2024; 12:393. [PMID: 38399797 PMCID: PMC10892763 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020393] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial growth and behavior have been studied in microgravity in the past, but little focus has been directed to cell size despite its impact on a myriad of processes, including biofilm formation, which is impactful regarding crew health. To interrogate this characteristic, supernatant aliquots of P. aeruginosa cultured on different materials and media on board the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Space Biofilms Project were analyzed. For that experiment, P. aeruginosa was grown in microgravity-with matching Earth controls-in modified artificial urine medium (mAUMg-high Pi) or LB Lennox supplemented with KNO3, and its formation of biofilms on six different materials was assessed. After one, two, and three days of incubation, the ISS crew terminated subsets of the experiment by fixation in paraformaldehyde, and aliquots of the supernatant were used for the planktonic cell size study presented here. The measurements were obtained post-flight through the use of phase contrast microscopy under oil immersion, a Moticam 10+ digital camera, and the FIJI image analysis program. Statistical comparisons were conducted to identify which treatments caused significant differences in cell dimensions using the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests. There were statistically significant differences as a function of material present in the culture in both LBK and mAUMg-high Pi. Along with this, the data were also grouped by gravitational condition, media, and days of incubation. Comparison of planktonic cells cultured in microgravity showed reduced cell length (from 4% to 10% depending on the material) and diameter (from 1% to 10% depending on the material) with respect to their matching Earth controls, with the caveat that the cultures may have been at different points in their growth curve at a given time. In conclusion, smaller cells were observed on the cultures grown in microgravity, and cell size changed as a function of incubation time and the material upon which the culture grew. We describe these changes here and possible implications for human space travel in terms of crew health and potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherinne Herrera-Jordan
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala;
| | - Pamela Pennington
- Research Institute, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala;
| | - Luis Zea
- Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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Blachowicz A, Urbaniak C, Adolphson A, Isenhouer G, Page A, Venkateswaran K. Microbial Detection and Quantification of Low-Biomass Water Samples Using an International Space Station Smart Sample Concentrator. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2310. [PMID: 37764154 PMCID: PMC10537578 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The pressing need to safeguard the health of astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) necessitates constant and rigorous microbial monitoring. Recognizing the shortcomings of traditional culture-based methods, NASA is deliberating the incorporation of molecular-based techniques. The challenge, however, lies in developing and validating effective methods for concentrating samples to facilitate this transition. This study is dedicated to investigating the potential of an ISS Smart Sample Concentrator (iSSC) as an innovative concentration method. First, the iSSC system and its components were tested and optimized for microgravity, including various testing environments: a drop tower, parabolic flight, and the ISS itself. Upon confirming the system's compatibility with microgravity, we further evaluated its proficiency and reliability in concentrating large volumes (i.e., 1 L) of water samples inoculated with different microbes. The samples carried 102 to 105 colony-forming units (CFUs) of Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Ralstonia pickettii, or Cupriavidus basilensis per liter, aligning with NASA's acceptable limit of 5 × 104 CFU/L. The average retrieved volume post-concentration was ≈450 µL, yielding samples that were ≈2200 times more concentrated for subsequent quantitative PCR (qPCR) and CFU analysis. The average microbial percent recovery, as assessed with CFU counts, demonstrated consistency for C. basilensis and R. pickettii at around 50% and 45%, respectively. For S. paucimobilis, the efficiency oscillated between 40% and 80%. Interestingly, when we examined microbial recovery using qPCR, the results showed more variability across all tested species. The significance of these findings lies not merely in the successful validation of the iSSC but also in the system's proven consistency, as evidenced by its alignment with previous validation-phase results. In conclusion, conducted research underscored the potential of the iSSC in monitoring microbial contamination in potable water aboard the ISS, heralding a paradigm shift from culture-based to molecular-based monitoring methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Blachowicz
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Camilla Urbaniak
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
- ZIN Technologies Inc., Middleburg Heights, OH 44130, USA
| | | | | | - Andy Page
- InnovaPrep LLC, Drexel, MO 64742, USA
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
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Santomartino R, Zea L, Cockell CS. The smallest space miners: principles of space biomining. Extremophiles 2022; 26:7. [PMID: 34993644 PMCID: PMC8739323 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-021-01253-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
As we aim to expand human presence in space, we need to find viable approaches to achieve independence from terrestrial resources. Space biomining of the Moon, Mars and asteroids has been indicated as one of the promising approaches to achieve in-situ resource utilization by the main space agencies. Structural and expensive metals, essential mineral nutrients, water, oxygen and volatiles could be potentially extracted from extraterrestrial regolith and rocks using microbial-based biotechnologies. The use of bioleaching microorganisms could also be applied to space bioremediation, recycling of waste and to reinforce regenerative life support systems. However, the science around space biomining is still young. Relevant differences between terrestrial and extraterrestrial conditions exist, including the rock types and ores available for mining, and a direct application of established terrestrial biomining techniques may not be a possibility. It is, therefore, necessary to invest in terrestrial and space-based research of specific methods for space applications to learn the effects of space conditions on biomining and bioremediation, expand our knowledge on organotrophic and community-based bioleaching mechanisms, as well as on anaerobic biomining, and investigate the use of synthetic biology to overcome limitations posed by the space environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Santomartino
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK.
| | - Luis Zea
- BioServe Space Technologies, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Charles S Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
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4
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Cockell CS, Santomartino R, Finster K, Waajen AC, Nicholson N, Loudon CM, Eades LJ, Moeller R, Rettberg P, Fuchs FM, Van Houdt R, Leys N, Coninx I, Hatton J, Parmitano L, Krause J, Koehler A, Caplin N, Zuijderduijn L, Mariani A, Pellari S, Carubia F, Luciani G, Balsamo M, Zolesi V, Ochoa J, Sen P, Watt JAJ, Doswald-Winkler J, Herová M, Rattenbacher B, Wadsworth J, Everroad RC, Demets R. Microbially-Enhanced Vanadium Mining and Bioremediation Under Micro- and Mars Gravity on the International Space Station. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:641387. [PMID: 33868198 PMCID: PMC8047202 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.641387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As humans explore and settle in space, they will need to mine elements to support industries such as manufacturing and construction. In preparation for the establishment of permanent human settlements across the Solar System, we conducted the ESA BioRock experiment on board the International Space Station to investigate whether biological mining could be accomplished under extraterrestrial gravity conditions. We tested the hypothesis that the gravity (g) level influenced the efficacy with which biomining could be achieved from basalt, an abundant material on the Moon and Mars, by quantifying bioleaching by three different microorganisms under microgravity, simulated Mars and Earth gravitational conditions. One element of interest in mining is vanadium (V), which is added to steel to fabricate high strength, corrosion-resistant structural materials for buildings, transportation, tools and other applications. The results showed that Sphingomonas desiccabilis and Bacillus subtilis enhanced the leaching of vanadium under the three gravity conditions compared to sterile controls by 184.92 to 283.22%, respectively. Gravity did not have a significant effect on mean leaching, thus showing the potential for biomining on Solar System objects with diverse gravitational conditions. Our results demonstrate the potential to use microorganisms to conduct elemental mining and other bioindustrial processes in space locations with non-1 × g gravity. These same principles apply to extraterrestrial bioremediation and elemental recycling beyond Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Rosa Santomartino
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Kai Finster
- Department of Biology - Microbiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Annemiek C Waajen
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Natasha Nicholson
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Claire-Marie Loudon
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lorna J Eades
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ralf Moeller
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Köln, Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Köln, Germany
| | - Felix M Fuchs
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Köln, Germany.,Institute of Electrical Engineering and Plasma Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Sciences, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Natalie Leys
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Ilse Coninx
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jon Ochoa
- ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands.,Space Application Services NV/SA, Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | - Pia Sen
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - James A J Watt
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Jeannine Doswald-Winkler
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena Herová
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Rattenbacher
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Wadsworth
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, United States
| | - R Craig Everroad
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, United States
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Cockell CS, Santomartino R, Finster K, Waajen AC, Eades LJ, Moeller R, Rettberg P, Fuchs FM, Van Houdt R, Leys N, Coninx I, Hatton J, Parmitano L, Krause J, Koehler A, Caplin N, Zuijderduijn L, Mariani A, Pellari SS, Carubia F, Luciani G, Balsamo M, Zolesi V, Nicholson N, Loudon CM, Doswald-Winkler J, Herová M, Rattenbacher B, Wadsworth J, Craig Everroad R, Demets R. Space station biomining experiment demonstrates rare earth element extraction in microgravity and Mars gravity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5523. [PMID: 33173035 PMCID: PMC7656455 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19276-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are employed to mine economically important elements from rocks, including the rare earth elements (REEs), used in electronic industries and alloy production. We carried out a mining experiment on the International Space Station to test hypotheses on the bioleaching of REEs from basaltic rock in microgravity and simulated Mars and Earth gravities using three microorganisms and a purposely designed biomining reactor. Sphingomonas desiccabilis enhanced mean leached concentrations of REEs compared to non-biological controls in all gravity conditions. No significant difference in final yields was observed between gravity conditions, showing the efficacy of the process under different gravity regimens. Bacillus subtilis exhibited a reduction in bioleaching efficacy and Cupriavidus metallidurans showed no difference compared to non-biological controls, showing the microbial specificity of the process, as on Earth. These data demonstrate the potential for space biomining and the principles of a reactor to advance human industry and mining beyond Earth. Rare earth elements are used in electronics, but increase in demand could lead to low supply. Here the authors conduct experiments on the International Space Station and show microbes can extract rare elements from rocks at low gravity, a finding that could extend mining potential to other planets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Rosa Santomartino
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kai Finster
- Department of Bioscience-Microbiology, Ny Munkegade 116, Building 1540, 129, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Annemiek C Waajen
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lorna J Eades
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ralf Moeller
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Hoehe, Köln, Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Hoehe, Köln, Germany
| | - Felix M Fuchs
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Hoehe, Köln, Germany.,Institute of Electrical Engineering and Plasma Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Sciences, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Natalie Leys
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Ilse Coninx
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Jason Hatton
- ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | | | - Jutta Krause
- ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | | | - Nicol Caplin
- ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Fabrizio Carubia
- Kayser Italia S.r.l., Via di Popogna, 501, 57128, Livorno, Italy
| | - Giacomo Luciani
- Kayser Italia S.r.l., Via di Popogna, 501, 57128, Livorno, Italy
| | - Michele Balsamo
- Kayser Italia S.r.l., Via di Popogna, 501, 57128, Livorno, Italy
| | - Valfredo Zolesi
- Kayser Italia S.r.l., Via di Popogna, 501, 57128, Livorno, Italy
| | - Natasha Nicholson
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Claire-Marie Loudon
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jeannine Doswald-Winkler
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Obermattweg 9, 6052, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena Herová
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Obermattweg 9, 6052, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Rattenbacher
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Obermattweg 9, 6052, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | | | - R Craig Everroad
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
| | - René Demets
- ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk, Netherlands
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Santomartino R, Waajen AC, de Wit W, Nicholson N, Parmitano L, Loudon CM, Moeller R, Rettberg P, Fuchs FM, Van Houdt R, Finster K, Coninx I, Krause J, Koehler A, Caplin N, Zuijderduijn L, Zolesi V, Balsamo M, Mariani A, Pellari SS, Carubia F, Luciani G, Leys N, Doswald-Winkler J, Herová M, Wadsworth J, Everroad RC, Rattenbacher B, Demets R, Cockell CS. No Effect of Microgravity and Simulated Mars Gravity on Final Bacterial Cell Concentrations on the International Space Station: Applications to Space Bioproduction. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:579156. [PMID: 33154740 PMCID: PMC7591705 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.579156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms perform countless tasks on Earth and they are expected to be essential for human space exploration. Despite the interest in the responses of bacteria to space conditions, the findings on the effects of microgravity have been contradictory, while the effects of Martian gravity are nearly unknown. We performed the ESA BioRock experiment on the International Space Station to study microbe-mineral interactions in microgravity, simulated Mars gravity and simulated Earth gravity, as well as in ground gravity controls, with three bacterial species: Sphingomonas desiccabilis, Bacillus subtilis, and Cupriavidus metallidurans. To our knowledge, this was the first experiment to study simulated Martian gravity on bacteria using a space platform. Here, we tested the hypothesis that different gravity regimens can influence the final cell concentrations achieved after a multi-week period in space. Despite the different sedimentation rates predicted, we found no significant differences in final cell counts and optical densities between the three gravity regimens on the ISS. This suggests that possible gravity-related effects on bacterial growth were overcome by the end of the experiment. The results indicate that microbial-supported bioproduction and life support systems can be effectively performed in space (e.g., Mars), as on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Santomartino
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Annemiek C Waajen
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Wessel de Wit
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Natasha Nicholson
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Luca Parmitano
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | - Claire-Marie Loudon
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Ralf Moeller
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne (Köln), Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne (Köln), Germany
| | - Felix M Fuchs
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne (Köln), Germany
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Kai Finster
- Department of Biology - Microbiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Ilse Coninx
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Jutta Krause
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | - Andrea Koehler
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | - Nicol Caplin
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | - Lobke Zuijderduijn
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Natalie Leys
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | | | - Magdalena Herová
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik und Architektur, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Wadsworth
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA, United States
| | - R Craig Everroad
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA, United States
| | - Bernd Rattenbacher
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik und Architektur, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - René Demets
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | - Charles S Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Samuels T, Bryce C, Landenmark H, Marie‐Loudon C, Nicholson N, Stevens AH, Cockell C. Microbial Weathering of Minerals and Rocks in Natural Environments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/9781119413332.ch3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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8
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Enriched hydrogen-oxidizing microbiomes show a high diversity of co-existing hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:8241-8253. [PMID: 31482282 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10082-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
While numerous reports exist on the axenic culturing of different hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria (HOB), knowledge about the enrichment of microbial communities growing on hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide as sole carbon and energy sources remains negligible. We want to elucidate if in such enrichments, most enriched populations are HOBs or heterotrophic organisms. In the present study, bacteria enriched from a soil sample and grown over 5 transfers using a continuous supply of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide to obtain an enriched autotrophic hydrogen-oxidizing microbiome. The success of the enrichment was evaluated by monitoring ammonium consumption and biomass concentration for 120 days. The shift in the microbial composition of the original soil inoculum and all transfers was observed based on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The hydrogen-oxidizing facultative chemolithoautotroph Hydrogenophaga electricum was isolated and found to be one of the abundant species in most transfers. Moreover, Achromobacter was isolated both under heterotrophic and autotrophic conditions, which was characterized as a hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium. The HOB enrichment condition constructed in this study provided an environment for HOB to develop and conquer in all transfers. In conclusion, we showed that enrichments on hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide as sole carbon and energy sources contain a diverse mixture of HOB and heterotrophs that resulted in a collection of culturable isolates. These isolates can be useful for further investigation for industrial applications.
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Ilgrande C, Mastroleo F, Christiaens MER, Lindeboom REF, Prat D, Van Hoey O, Ambrozova I, Coninx I, Heylen W, Pommerening-Roser A, Spieck E, Boon N, Vlaeminck SE, Leys N, Clauwaert P. Reactivation of Microbial Strains and Synthetic Communities After a Spaceflight to the International Space Station: Corroborating the Feasibility of Essential Conversions in the MELiSSA Loop. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1167-1176. [PMID: 31161957 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To sustain human deep space exploration or extra-terrestrial settlements where no resupply from the Earth or other planets is possible, technologies for in situ food production, water, air, and waste recovery need to be developed. The Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) is such a Regenerative Life Support System (RLSS) and it builds on several bacterial bioprocesses. However, alterations in gravity, temperature, and radiation associated with the space environment can affect survival and functionality of the microorganisms. In this study, representative strains of different carbon and nitrogen metabolisms with application in the MELiSSA were selected for launch and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) exposure. An edible photoautotrophic strain (Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005), a photoheterotrophic strain (Rhodospirillum rubrum S1H), a ureolytic heterotrophic strain (Cupriavidus pinatubonensis 1245), and combinations of C. pinatubonensis 1245 and autotrophic ammonia and nitrite oxidizing strains (Nitrosomonas europaea ATCC19718, Nitrosomonas ureae Nm10, and Nitrobacter winogradskyi Nb255) were sent to the International Space Station (ISS) for 7 days. There, the samples were exposed to 2.8 mGy, a dose 140 times higher than on the Earth, and a temperature of 22°C ± 1°C. On return to the Earth, the cultures were reactivated and their growth and activity were compared with terrestrial controls stored under refrigerated (5°C ± 2°C) or room temperature (22°C ± 1°C and 21°C ± 0°C) conditions. Overall, no difference was observed between terrestrial and ISS samples. Most cultures presented lower cell viability after the test, regardless of the type of exposure, indicating a harsher effect of the storage and sample preparation than the spaceflight itself. Postmission analysis revealed the successful survival and proliferation of all cultures except for Arthrospira, which suffered from the premission depressurization test. These observations validate the possibility of launching, storing, and reactivating bacteria with essential functionalities for microbial bioprocesses in RLSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Ilgrande
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Felice Mastroleo
- Unit of Microbiology, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | | | - Ralph E F Lindeboom
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Section Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Delphine Prat
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Olivier Van Hoey
- Unit of Research in Dosimetric Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Iva Ambrozova
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Ilse Coninx
- Unit of Microbiology, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Wietse Heylen
- Unit of Microbiology, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | | | - Eva Spieck
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nico Boon
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Siegfried E Vlaeminck
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Natalie Leys
- Unit of Microbiology, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Peter Clauwaert
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
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10
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Zhang B, Bai P, Zhao X, Yu Y, Zhang X, Li D, Liu C. Increased growth rate and amikacin resistance of Salmonella enteritidis after one-month spaceflight on China's Shenzhou-11 spacecraft. Microbiologyopen 2019; 8:e00833. [PMID: 30912318 PMCID: PMC6741137 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
China launched the Tiangong-2 space laboratory in 2016 and will eventually build a basic space station by the early 2020s. These spaceflight missions require astronauts to stay on the space station for more than 6 months, and they inevitably carry microbes into the space environment. It is known that the space environment affects microbial behavior, including growth rate, biofilm formation, virulence, drug resistance, and metabolism. However, the mechanisms of these alternations have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, it is beneficial to monitor microorganisms for preventing infections among astronauts in a space environment. Salmonella enteritidis is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that commonly causes acute gastroenteritis in humans. In this study, to better understand the effects of the space environment on S. enteritidis, a S. enteritidis strain was taken into space by the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft from 17 October 2016 to 18 November 2016, and a ground simulation with similar temperature conditions was simultaneously performed as a control. It was found that the flight strain displayed an increased growth rate, enhanced amikacin resistance, and some metabolism alterations compared with the ground strain. Enrichment analysis of proteome revealed that the increased growth rate might be associated with differentially expressed proteins involved in transmembrane transport and energy production and conversion assembly. A combined transcriptome and proteome analysis showed that the amikacin resistance was due to the downregulation of the oppA gene and oligopeptide transporter protein OppA. In conclusion, this study is the first systematic analysis of the phenotypic, genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic variations in S. enteritidis during spaceflight and will provide beneficial insights for future studies on space microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhang
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Respiratory Diseases Department, The Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Po Bai
- Respiratory Diseases Department, The Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Respiratory Diseases Department, PLA Rocket Force Characteristic Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xian Zhao
- Respiratory Diseases Department, The Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Yu
- Respiratory Diseases Department, The Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xuelin Zhang
- Respiratory Diseases Department, The Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Diangeng Li
- Respiratory Diseases Department, The Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Changting Liu
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Respiratory Diseases Department, The Second Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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11
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Millacura FA, Janssen PJ, Monsieurs P, Janssen A, Provoost A, Van Houdt R, Rojas LA. Unintentional Genomic Changes Endow Cupriavidus metallidurans with an Augmented Heavy-Metal Resistance. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E551. [PMID: 30428624 PMCID: PMC6266692 DOI: 10.3390/genes9110551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
For the past three decades, Cupriavidus metallidurans has been one of the major model organisms for bacterial tolerance to heavy metals. Its type strain CH34 contains at least 24 gene clusters distributed over four replicons, allowing for intricate and multilayered metal responses. To gain organic mercury resistance in CH34, broad-spectrum mer genes were introduced in a previous work via conjugation of the IncP-1β plasmid pTP6. However, we recently noted that this CH34-derived strain, MSR33, unexpectedly showed an increased resistance to other metals (i.e., Co2+, Ni2+, and Cd2+). To thoroughly investigate this phenomenon, we resequenced the entire genome of MSR33 and compared its DNA sequence and basal gene expression profile to those of its parental strain CH34. Genome comparison identified 11 insertions or deletions (INDELs) and nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), whereas transcriptomic analysis displayed 107 differentially expressed genes. Sequence data implicated the transposition of IS1088 in higher Co2+ and Ni2+ resistances and altered gene expression, although the precise mechanisms of the augmented Cd2+ resistance in MSR33 remains elusive. Our work indicates that conjugation procedures involving large complex genomes and extensive mobilomes may pose a considerable risk toward the introduction of unwanted, undocumented genetic changes. Special efforts are needed for the applied use and further development of small nonconjugative broad-host plasmid vectors, ideally involving CRISPR-related and advanced biosynthetic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe A Millacura
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ, UK.
| | - Paul J Janssen
- Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
| | - Pieter Monsieurs
- Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
| | - Ann Janssen
- Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
| | - Ann Provoost
- Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
| | - Luis A Rojas
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Católica del Norte, UCN, Antofagasta 1240000, Chile.
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12
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13
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The Impact of Oxidative Stress on the Bone System in Response to the Space Special Environment. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18102132. [PMID: 29023398 PMCID: PMC5666814 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18102132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The space special environment mainly includes microgravity, radiation, vacuum and extreme temperature, which seriously threatens an astronaut’s health. Bone loss is one of the most significant alterations in mammalians after long-duration habitation in space. In this review, we summarize the crucial roles of major factors—namely radiation and microgravity—in space in oxidative stress generation in living organisms, and the inhibitory effect of oxidative stress on bone formation. We discussed the possible mechanisms of oxidative stress-induced skeletal involution, and listed some countermeasures that have therapeutic potentials for bone loss via oxidative stress antagonism. Future research for better understanding the oxidative stress caused by space environment and the development of countermeasures against oxidative damage accordingly may facilitate human beings to live more safely in space and explore deeper into the universe.
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