Project description:The on-going Microbial Observatory Experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) revealed the presence of various microorganisms that may be affected by the distinct environment of the ISS. The low-nutrient environment combined with enhanced irradiation and microgravity may trigger changes in the molecular suit of microorganisms leading to increased virulence and resistance of microbes. Proteomic characterization of two Aspergillus fumigatus strains, ISSFT-021 and IF1SW-F4, isolated from HEPA filter debris and cupola surface of the ISS, respectively, is presented, along with a comparison to experimentally established clinical isolates Af293 and CEA10. In-depth analysis highlights variations in the proteome of both ISS-isolated strains when compared to the clinical strains. Proteins up-regulated in ISS isolates were involved in oxidative stress response, and carbohydrate and secondary metabolism. This report provides insight into possible molecular adaptation of filamentous fungi to the unique ISS environment. Lastly, an attempt was made to elucidate plausible causes of the enhanced virulence of both ISS-isolated A. fumigatus strains.
Project description:Monitoring microbial communities can aid in understanding the state of these habitats. Environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques provide efficient and comprehensive monitoring by capturing broader diversity. Besides structural profiling, eDNA methods allow the study of functional profiles, encompassing the genes within the microbial community. In this study, three methodologies were compared for functional profiling of microbial communities in estuarine and coastal sites in the Bay of Biscay. The methodologies included inference from 16S metabarcoding data using Tax4Fun, GeoChip microarrays, and shotgun metagenomics.
Project description:Clean room microbial communities from NASA Spacecraft Assembly Facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, USA - In4P-11 metagenome
Project description:Clean room microbial communities from NASA Spacecraft Assembly Facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, USA - In3P-11 metagenome
