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Growth and biofilm formation of Penicillium chrysogenum in simulated microgravity

Cortesao, Marta and Luo, Jiaqi and Müller, Daniel and Nisar, Zeena and Mücklich, Frank and Hemmersbach, Ruth and Hellweg, Christine E. and Zea, Luis and Moeller, Ralf (2017) Growth and biofilm formation of Penicillium chrysogenum in simulated microgravity. 12th conference of the VAAM special group Molecular Biology of Fungi, 2017-09-28 - 2017-09-30, Jena, Germany.

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Abstract

Penicillium sp. are one of the main fungal genera detected on board the Russian Space Station (MIR) and the International Space Station (ISS), demonstrating its ability to grow on the space stations´ walls and to maintain growth under microgravity (1-3). As a spore-forming microorganism, Penicillium sp. poses a concern for planetary protection and to human/astronaut health, as its spores, associated with respiratory diseases, can be dispersed through the air (4). Fungal growth on the ISS has shown to promote biodegradation of the spacecraft materials, compromising their integrity. Biofilms are groups of organisms adhered to each other by self-synthesized extracellular polymeric substances, and are ubiquitous in industrial and natural environments (5). It has been reported that Penicillium sp. forms biofilms, which are associated with higher tolerance/resistance to adverse conditions (6). Therefore, biofilm formed on the ISS may have deleterious effects on astronaut’s health and/or on ISS materials. To gain valuable knowledge to control biofilm during long duration spaceflight missions, the NASA-funded project “Characterization of Biofilm Formation, Growth, and Gene Expression on Different Materials and Environmental Conditions in Microgravity” is currently being prepared. Pre-flight testing include: defining and optimizing the growth medium and culturing conditions of P. chrysogenum DSM 1075; characterizing the morphological response of P. chrysogenum growth under simulated microgravity; assessing biofilm formation by P. chrysogenum under different conditions. The study of this fungal strain represents the beginning of a new line of research on board ISS. The knowledge gained can be applicable to a) the safety and maintenance of crewed spacecraft, b) planetary protection, c) mitigation of biofilm-associated illnesses on the crew, as well as on the Earth. Besides, P. chrysogenum is of major medical and historical importance, as it presents the original and present-day industrial source of the antibiotic penicillin, and as an important producer of antifungal proteins and other relevant enzymes.

Item URL in elib:https://elib.dlr.de/117269/
Document Type:Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
Title:Growth and biofilm formation of Penicillium chrysogenum in simulated microgravity
Authors:
AuthorsInstitution or Email of AuthorsAuthor's ORCID iDORCID Put Code
Cortesao, MartaRadiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, GermanyUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Luo, JiaqiDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, GermanyUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Müller, DanielDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, GermanyUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Nisar, ZeenaSpace Technologies, University of Colorado, Boulder, USAUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Mücklich, FrankDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, GermanyUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Hemmersbach, RuthGerman Aerospace Centre (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Gravitational Biology, Cologne, Germanyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5308-6715UNSPECIFIED
Hellweg, Christine E.Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germanyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2223-3580UNSPECIFIED
Zea, LuisSpace Technologies, University of Colorado, Boulder, USAUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Moeller, RalfUNSPECIFIEDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2371-0676UNSPECIFIED
Date:2017
Refereed publication:Yes
Open Access:Yes
Gold Open Access:No
In SCOPUS:No
In ISI Web of Science:No
Status:Published
Keywords:microgravity, biofilm, Penicillium sp., growth, ISS, planetary protection, human/astronaut health
Event Title:12th conference of the VAAM special group Molecular Biology of Fungi
Event Location:Jena, Germany
Event Type:international Conference
Event Start Date:28 September 2017
Event End Date:30 September 2017
HGF - Research field:Aeronautics, Space and Transport
HGF - Program:Space
HGF - Program Themes:Research under Space Conditions
DLR - Research area:Raumfahrt
DLR - Program:R FR - Research under Space Conditions
DLR - Research theme (Project):R - Vorhaben Strahlenbiologie (old), R - Vorhaben Artificial Gravity (old)
Location: Köln-Porz
Institutes and Institutions:Institute of Aerospace Medicine > Radiation Biology
Institute of Aerospace Medicine > Gravitational Biology
Deposited By: Kopp, Kerstin
Deposited On:11 Jan 2018 13:38
Last Modified:24 Apr 2024 20:21

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