Document Detail


Recurrent isolation of extremotolerant bacteria from the clean room where Phoenix spacecraft components were assembled.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20446872     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The microbial burden of the Phoenix spacecraft assembly environment was assessed in a systematic manner via several cultivation-based techniques and a suite of NASA-certified, cultivation-independent biomolecule-based detection assays. Extremotolerant bacteria that could potentially survive conditions experienced en route to Mars or on the planet's surface were isolated with a series of cultivation-based assays that promoted the growth of a variety of organisms, including spore formers, mesophilic heterotrophs, anaerobes, thermophiles, psychrophiles, alkaliphiles, and bacteria resistant to UVC radiation and hydrogen peroxide exposure. Samples were collected from the clean room where Phoenix was housed at three different time points, before (1P), during (2P), and after (3P) Phoenix's presence at the facility. There was a reduction in microbial burden of most bacterial groups, including spore formers, in samples 2P and 3P. Analysis of 262 isolates from the facility demonstrated that there was also a shift in predominant cultivable bacterial populations accompanied by a reduction in diversity during 2P and 3P. It is suggested that this shift was a result of increased cleaning when Phoenix was present in the assembly facility and that certain species, such as Acinetobacter johnsonii and Brevundimonas diminuta, may be better adapted to environmental conditions found during 2P and 3P. In addition, problematic bacteria resistant to multiple extreme conditions, such as Bacillus pumilus, were able to survive these periods of increased cleaning.
Authors:
Sudeshna Ghosh; Shariff Osman; Parag Vaishampayan; Kasthuri Venkateswaran
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Astrobiology     Volume:  10     ISSN:  1557-8070     ISO Abbreviation:  Astrobiology     Publication Date:  2010 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-05-07     Completed Date:  2010-09-22     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101088083     Medline TA:  Astrobiology     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  325-35     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adaptation, Physiological*
Bacteria / genetics,  growth & development,  isolation & purification*
Biodiversity
Environment, Controlled*
Equipment Contamination* / prevention & control
Exobiology
Phylogeny
Spacecraft / instrumentation*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Adsorption of nucleic acid components on rutile (TiO(2)) surfaces.
Next Document:  Titan's primordial soup: formation of amino acids via low-temperature hydrolysis of tholins.