Analysis of deletion mutations of the rpsL gene in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae detected after long-term flight on the Russian space station Mir

Characterization of Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates from Air and Surfaces of the International Space Station

“…Figure S1 in the supplemental material shows the same phylogenic data represented in a phylogram. As it has been suggested previously that genetic consequences resulting from irradiation exposure during time in space may manifest as insertions and deletions (indels) over point mutations (28–30), we analyzed ISSFT-021, IF1SW-F4, and CEA10 and averages from all sequenced isolates included in this study against the reference genome (Af293) and found no obvious enrichment for indels in the ISS isolates (see Fig. S2 in the supplemental material).…”

“…S2 in the supplemental material), suggesting that life aboard the space station was not accompanied by an accumulation of mutations presumably from enhanced exposure to irradiation and microgravity; however, since the proper terrestrial control strains do not exist for ISSFT-021 and IF1SW-F4, we cannot determine/quantify mutations that may have accumulated during time aboard the ISS. Interestingly, previous data suggest that DNA damage resulting from time aboard the ISS may favor chromosomal aberrations and large deletions over point mutations (28–30), a conclusion that may have been fueled by studies that reported finding no detectable mutations from time in space, although these experiments utilized experimental setups that would favor detection of point mutations over large genetic lesions, or the studies were possibly too short in duration for mutations to accumulate (44). Sequence analysis with ISS A. fumigatus strains suggested that there is no enrichment for any type of mutation we could identify through our resequencing-based mapping approach, namely, indels, in comparison with Af293 (see Fig.…”

The Microbiome: The Forgotten Organ of the Astronaut‘s Body – Probiotics beyond Terrestrial Limits

“…It has also been postulated that the emergence of such resistant clones could be facilitated by the administration of antibiotics either before or during the flight [38]. Emergence of drug resistance is also facilitated by bacterial mutation which occurs more frequently in longterm spaceflights [39]. Overall, there is the possibility that drug-resistant bacteria could colonize all crew members on a mission, giving rise to a difficult-to-treat healthcare problem.…”

Growing pioneer plants for a lunar base

“…The probable reason is mutations that cause changes in bacterial genomes. The number of space flight experiments performed on board of spacecrafts and satellites indicate that the space conditions may enhance the mutation and reversion frequency of certain genes in bacteria (lacI, arg, rpsL) (Horneck et al, 1989;Weng et al, 1998;Fukuda et al, 2000). A putative variation of some genes responsible for plant-bacteria interactions (for example, pectinase genes, pelX and pehX, from bacterium Klebsiella oxytoca VN13, encoding a pectate lyase and polygalacturonase, respectively) in a response to extraterrestrial factors may be controlled by method of temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-TGGE) (Kovtunovych et al, 2003).…”