Short Title:
Microbial risk modeling
Responsible HRP Element:
Space Human Factors and Habitability
|
Collaborating Org(s):
|
| Space Human Factors Habitability (SHFH) Element |
|
Funding Status:
Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable
|
Procurement Mechanism(s):
|
|
Aims:
OBJECTIVES:
1. Comparison of whole genome microarray-mediated gene expression profiling of Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans, in response to spaceflight, to normal gravity controls and when the organisms are grown during suspension culture in modeled microgravity.
2. Determination of the effect of spaceflight on the virulence potential of the pathogenic microorganisms, S. typhimurium, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans, immediately following their return from spaceflight.
3. Comparison of S. typhimurium cultures grown in nutrient limited media to those grown in nutrient rich media to determine the potential effects of nutritional status on changes in gene expression and virulence properties during spaceflight
Key findings reported are that spaceflight culture alters the Hfq regulon in bacterial
pathogens. Altering the concentration of certain
ionic salts in the growth media prevents the
increased disease causing potential of Salmonella during spaceflight.
Collectively, the results suggest that RNA binding regulatory proteins
and their small RNA binding counterparts may be key to a conserved,
common cellular spaceflight response mechanism in bacterial cells that
can be manipulated by environmental salt/ion levels. The implications of the findings would affect NASA’s approach to infectious disease risk
assessment, development of biological processing systems for
exploration, and other mission-related functions.
Category:
Risk Characterization, Quantification
Subcategory:
Evidence or Risk Characterization
Description:
Workshop participants recommended that NSAS identify the next generation of microbial requirements and expandthe knowledge gaps from one to four. A task has been established to identify appropriate changes in requirements and new gaps have been formulated.
Internal Customers:
Space Human Factors and Habitability
External Customers:
None