Desert Cyanobacteria: Potential for Space and Earth Applications

Billi, Daniela; Baqué, Mickaël; Verseux, Cyprien; Rothschild, Lynn J.; Vera, Jean‐Pierre de

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-48327-6_6

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…The cyanobacterial endurance after 672 days of space vacuum might be ascribable to its desiccation tolerance (Fagliarone et al ., 2017). Such a capability is likely due to the accumulation of disaccharides (Billi et al ., 2017), which may stabilize sub-cellular structures and macromolecules during the extreme dehydration induced by vacuum (Nicholson et al ., 2000). Indeed bacterial spores embedded in chemical protectants, e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to low Earth orbit of an extreme-tolerant cyanobacterium as a contribution to lunar astrobiology activities

Billi

Mosca

Fagliarone

et al. 2019

International Journal of Astrobiology

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By investigating the survival and the biomarker detectability of a rock-inhabiting cyanobacterium, Chroococcidiopsis sp. CCMEE 029, the BIOMEX space experiment might contribute to a future exploitation of the Moon as a test-bed for key astrobiology tasks such as the testing of life-detection technologies and the study of life in space. Post-flight analyses demonstrated that the mixing of dried cells with sandstone and a lunar regolith simulant provided protection against space UV radiation. During the space exposure, dried cells not mixed with minerals were killed by 2.05 × 102 kJ m−2 of UV radiation, while cells mixed with sandstone or lunar regolith survived 1.59 × 102 and 1.79 × 102 kJ m−2, respectively. No differences in survival occurred among cells mixed and not mixed with minerals and exposed to space conditions in the dark; this finding suggests that space vacuum and 0.5 Gy of ionizing radiation did not impair the cells’ presence in space. The genomic DNA of dead cells was severely damaged but still detectable with PCR amplification of a short target, thus suggesting that short sequences should be targeted in a PCR-based approach when searching for traces of life. The enhanced stability of genomic DNA of dried cells mixed with minerals and exposed to space indicates that DNA might still be detectable after prolonged periods, possibly up to millions of years in microbes shielded by minerals. Overall, the BIOMEX results contribute to future experiments regarding the exposure of cells and their biomarkers to deep space conditions in order to further test the lithopanspermia hypothesis, the biomarker stability and the microbial endurance, with implications for planetary protection and to determine if the Moon has been contaminated during past human missions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to low Earth orbit of an extreme-tolerant cyanobacterium as a contribution to lunar astrobiology activities

Billi

Mosca

Fagliarone

et al. 2019

International Journal of Astrobiology

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“…Exceptional to the typical culture-based system vulnerabilities, microbial, oxygenic photoautotrophic cultures (i.e. microalgae 76,77 and cyanobacteria 78,79 ) represent a promising subset of culture-based systems that may be better equipped for supporting human life in space. They share many of the same benefits of molecular pharming; these organisms are able to use available in situ resources (i.e.…”

Section: Comparing Molecular Medical Foundries For Spacementioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Pharming to Support Human Life on the Moon, Mars, and Beyond

McNulty¹,

Xiong

Yates

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Space missions have always assumed that the risk of spacecraft malfunction far outweighs the risk of human system failure. This assumption breaks down for longer duration exploration missions and exposes vulnerabilities in space medical system. Space agencies can no longer buy down the majority of human system risk through the crew member selection process and emergency re-supply or evacuation. No mature medical solutions exist to close the risk gap. With recent advances in biotechnology, there is promise in augmenting a space pharmacy with a biologically-based space foundry for on-demand manufacturing of high-value medical products. Here we review the challenges and opportunities of molecular pharming, the production of pharmaceuticals in plants, as the basis of a space medical foundry to close the risk gap in current space medical systems. Plants have long been considered an important life support object in space and can now also be viewed as programmable factories in space. Advances in molecular pharming-based space foundries will have widespread application in promoting simple and accessible pharmaceutical manufacturing on Earth.

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“…The use of resources available on the planetary surfaces to produce oxygen, fuel and biomass production might help solve several constraints of the human space exploration. The use of extreme-tolerant cyanobacteria to link on-site resources to BLSS has been proposed (Billi et al ., 2013, 2017; Verseux et al ., 2016 a ). The capability of certain cyanobacteria to release bio-essential elements from analogues of Martian rocks was already reported (Olsson-Francis and Cockell, 2010).…”

Section: Desert Cyanobacteria From Astrobiology To Synthetic Biology mentioning

confidence: 99%

Desert cyanobacteria under space and planetary simulations: a tool for searching for life beyond Earth and supporting human space exploration

Billi

2018

International Journal of Astrobiology

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The astonishing capability of life to adapt to extreme conditions has provided a new perspective on what ‘habitable’ means. On Earth extremophiles thrive in hostile habitats, such as hot and cold deserts or Antarctic sub-glacial lakes considered as Earth analogues of Mars and icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Recently desert cyanobacteria were exposed to ground-based simulations of space and Martian conditions and to real space and Martian conditions simulated in low Earth orbit using facilities attached outside the International Space Station. When exposure to such conditions does not exceed repair capabilities, more data are available regarding the physico-chemical constraints that life can withstand. When the accumulated damage exceeds the survival potential, the persistence of biomarkers contributes to the search for life elsewhere. Knowledge concerning the endurance of desert cyanobacteria under space and Martian conditions contributes to the development of life support systems.

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Desert Cyanobacteria: Potential for Space and Earth Applications

Cited by 17 publications

References 91 publications

Exposure to low Earth orbit of an extreme-tolerant cyanobacterium as a contribution to lunar astrobiology activities

Exposure to low Earth orbit of an extreme-tolerant cyanobacterium as a contribution to lunar astrobiology activities

Molecular Pharming to Support Human Life on the Moon, Mars, and Beyond

Desert cyanobacteria under space and planetary simulations: a tool for searching for life beyond Earth and supporting human space exploration

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