Spacecraft microbes
Spacecraft Microbiology
Spacecraft represent a unique environment for microbes. Spacecraft are generally classified as either manned or unmanned and this distinction carries profound consequences on the microbial ecology of the crafts. As on Earth, microbial communities can have both positive and negative effects. While they present hazards like degradation of equipment, infection, and contamination they also offer the promise for advanced life support systems.
Spacecraft Environments
As stated the type of environment available to microbes is fundamentally determined by the presence or absence of humans on the mission. Increased radiation exposure and microgravity are common challenges faced by microbes in each environment. Early experiments seemed to show no effect of a microgravity on cells smaller than 10 µm in diameter (Pollard et al 1967), but later experiments demonstrated an indirect lag on the metabolism of nonmotile bacteria due to reduced material exchange with surrounding fluid made more static without gravity (Klaus et al. 2004 and Thevenet 1996). Conversely damage by ionizing radiation is a serious hazard to microbial DNA causing double-stranded breaks, mutations, or irreversible destruction. Bacteria have evolved techniques to deal with genetic damage that include homologous and nonhomologous end-joining and protein-protection in spores (Horneck 2010). Different strains display varying levels of resistance and threshold lethality to radiation-induced damage (Horneck 2010).
Manned Spacecraft and Space Stations
Hermetically sealed spacecraft designed for human occupancy provide many opportunities for microbial populations. The same conditions that create an oasis of Earth-like conditions for humans benefit their commensal microbial partners as well. Conditions inside the craft are aerobic, warm, and generally ideal for mesophiles. The first and probably richest microenvironment inside the craft is the astronauts themselves. The natural human microbiota accompanies them on their journey.
Spacecraft represent a unique environment for bacteria.
Welcome to MicrobeWiki
Study Microbes * Microbial Biorealm * Viral Biorealm * Microbial Mythology
MicrobeWiki is a free wiki resource on microbes and microbiology, authored by students at many colleges and universities. Curated pages such as those linked to the Taxonomy Index are reviewed and updated by microbiologists at Kenyon College. Student pages authored independently, or for coursework, are not monitored further. Interested readers are encouraged to add information, after registering a free account.
Study Microbes is a new section of study questions and recommended species for students to learn, based on the textbook Microbiology: An Evolving Science by Joan Slonczewski and John Foster (W. W. Norton & Co.)
Educators: You may assign MicrobeWiki page creation and editing as projects for your students. We create a template page for your assignment, which you may edit to meet your needs. See for example the pages created by the following classes:
- BIOL 238 Class Index 2024, Joan L. Slonczewski,Kenyon College
- Microbial Ecology, Dr. Jay Lennon, Indiana University
- SSC111 Soil Microbiology, Kate Scow, University of California, Davis
- Microbial Ecology, Dr. Hidetoshi Urakawa, Florida Gulf Coast University.
- General Microbiology by Students of Jennifer Bhatnagar, Boston University
Your students receive individual passwords. Assessment and grading are up to you; after your class is over, we review pages for our standards. Students of all levels, from first-year to graduate students, have contributed pages to our site.
MicrobeWiki includes these curated pages:
Microbial Biorealm: encylopedia of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotic microbes. See also Taxonomy Index.
Viral Biorealm: encyclopedia of viruses of animals and plants, and bacteriophages. See also Taxonomy Index.
Microbial Mythology: common misconceptions and controversies in microbiology.
Managing Editor
Kenyon Student Editors
Kristina Buschur, '11, Ryo Tashiro '09, Molly Schlemmer '08, Shrochis Karki '09, Drew Taber3, Allison Whipple '06, Zeva Levine1, Laura Damon-Moore1, Ariel Kahrl2, Hannah Sacks '08, Michael Stulberg '05, Casey M. Smith '06, and Shana Scogin '07
Advisor: Joan Slonczewski, Biology Dept, Kenyon College
Guest editors from 1Beloit, 2Oberlin, and 3Columbia Union College.
Funded by HHMI awards to Kenyon College, 2000, 2004.
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Disclaimer. Information on this site is provided solely for educational purposes. Medical questions should be referred to a physician.
