Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Claudia Leoni, Bruno A. R. Gattulli, Graziano Pesole, Luigi R. Ceci, Mariateresa Volpicella
Summary: Amylomaltases are enzymes found only in prokaryotes and are involved in glycogen degradation and maltose metabolism. They are being studied for potential biotechnological applications such as the production of sugar substitutes, larger molecules like cycloamyloses, and thermoreversible starch gels. Additionally, extremophilic prokaryotes are being investigated for the identification of amylomaltases to be used in starch modifying processes under high temperature or extreme conditions.
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Athena Coustenis, Niklas Hedman, Peter T. Doran, Omar Al Shehhi, Eleonora Ammannito, Masaki Fujimoto, Olivier Grasset, Frank Groen, Alex Hayes, Vyacheslav Ilyin, K. Praveen Kumar, Caroline-Emmanuelle Morisset, Christian Mustin, Karen Olsson-Francis, Jing Peng, Olga Prieto Ballesteros, Francois Raulin, Petra Rettberg, Silvio Sinibaldi, Yohey Suzuki, Kanyan Xu, Maxim Zaitsev
Summary: Planetary protection is crucial for ensuring scientific exploration and preventing contamination between celestial bodies. The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy provides guidelines for compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, and is regularly updated based on scientific knowledge and developments in space exploration. Representatives from national space agencies and experts from the science community are responsible for maintaining and updating the policy.
Article
Microbiology
Victor Munoz-Hisado, Fatima Ruiz-Blas, Jesus Manuel Sobrado, Eva Garcia-Lopez, Emma Martinez-Alonso, Alberto Alcazar, Cristina Cid
Summary: The exploration of Mars is important for understanding its potential habitability. Recent studies have suggested the presence of liquid water in subglacial lakes below the South pole of Mars. In this study, two bacterial species were subjected to a simulated Martian environment to investigate their adaptation mechanisms. The results showed that the bacteria employed different strategies for survival.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Alberto G. Fairen, Nathalie A. Cabrol
Summary: The common ground between human spaceflight and astrobiology can serve as a foundation for a new agreement in Mars exploration, enabling stakeholders to achieve significant astrobiological objectives while ensuring safer human exploration.
Article
Microbiology
Zachary Steven Dean, Michael DiNicola, Emily Klonicki, Scott Roberts, Brian Gregory Clement, Lisa Guan
Summary: The increasing complexity of spacecraft hardware and materials has led to the development of new microbial reduction procedures and changes in established processes. This study focuses on the use of an infrared heater to investigate the survivability of heat resistant Bacillus canaveralius 29669 to high-temperature, short-duration infrared temperatures. The findings suggest that the current temperature sterilization specification for Planetary Protection needs to be updated.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nikolina Atanasova, Stoyanka Stoitsova, Tsvetelina Paunova-Krasteva, Margarita Kambourova
Summary: The extensive waste accumulation of plastics poses enormous hazards to the environment and living organisms, prompting scientific interest in their biodegradation. Limited studies have shown that certain extremophilic bacteria have the potential to degrade synthetic plastics in natural and laboratory settings, providing insight into potential solutions for pollution problems.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Dongsheng Wang, Fang Guan, Chao Feng, Krishnamurthy Mathivanan, Ruiyong Zhang, Wolfgang Sand
Summary: Microbially influenced concrete corrosion (MICC) causes significant financial losses to modern societies. This review examines the roles of various microbial communities in MICC and discusses protective measures against it. The current status and research methodology of MICC are also reviewed, aiming to provide insight into MICC mechanisms and the development of protection options.
Review
Microbiology
Vera Zgonik, Janez Mulec, Tina Elersek, Nives Ogrinc, Polona Jamnik, Natasa Poklar Ulrih
Summary: Extremophiles can thrive in a wide range of environments, with different species adapted to different stressors. In central Europe, extremophiles in moderate climates in Slovenia exhibit diverse adaptations. Cold-adapted extremophiles are found in ice caves and alpine glaciers, while halophiles prefer salterns and thermophiles inhabit thermal springs. Further research is needed to fully understand the potential uses of extremophiles in biotechnology and bioremediation.
Article
Microbiology
Emily P. P. Seto, Aspen L. L. Hirsch, Wayne W. W. Schubert, Pavithra Chandramowlishwaran, Yury O. O. Chernoff
Summary: NASA and ESA are researching ways to enhance the safety of future planetary science sample return missions and reduce harm to Earth's biosphere. NASA has identified the need to develop a suite of biological indicators (BIs) to validate sample return mission sterilization systems. The current effort aims to establish a BI capable of handling stable biomolecules capable of replication.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
David C. Danko, Maria A. Sierra, James N. Benardini, Lisa Guan, Jason M. Wood, Nitin Singh, Arman Seuylemezian, Daniel J. Butler, Krista Ryon, Katerina Kuchin, Dmitry Meleshko, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Kasthuri J. Venkateswaran, Christopher E. Mason
Summary: The study identified microbial attributes in clean rooms at JPL that may be problematic for space missions due to their ability to withstand extreme conditions, such as psychrophilia and biofilm formation. Despite extensive cleaning processes, microbes with specific characteristics were found in clean rooms. Microbial diversity increased with higher ISO classifications, but even ISO-5 standard samples carried a measurable microbial load. It is important to quantify thresholds and detect microbes that can inform planetary protection goals.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elena Porzio, Maria Rosaria Faraone Mennella, Giuseppe Manco
Summary: DING proteins, with their characteristic N-terminus DINGGG, are widely distributed among different organisms and share a highly conserved phosphate binding site. Despite their sequence conservation, they exhibit heterogeneity in biological activities and have been implicated in various pathologies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Aparna Banerjee, Shrabana Sarkar, Tanvi Govil, Patricio Gonzalez-Faune, Gustavo Cabrera-Barjas, Rajib Bandopadhyay, David R. Salem, Rajesh K. Sani
Summary: The article discusses the importance and mechanisms of EPSs in extremophilic microorganisms, as well as their potential applications in industrial and environmental bioremediation.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Srishti Chaudhary, Sukrampal Yadav, Ramandeep Singh, Chetan Sadhotra, Sunil A. Patil
Summary: This article discusses the advantages of using extreme electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) in microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) and summarizes the diversity of EAMs from different extreme environments. It also discusses their use as biocatalysts in various bioprocessing applications and presents the challenges and research opportunities associated with operating METs under extreme conditions.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
K. Vivek, G. S. Sandhia, S. Subramaniyan
Summary: With industrialization and development in modern science, enzymes and their applications have increased widely. Lipases have attracted industrial attention due to their broad catalytic properties and other characteristics, making them suitable for various industrial processes. They have applications in detergent formulations, biofuel synthesis, and bioremediation of lipid waste in harsh environments.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Gabriel Nascimento-Silva, Cristiane Cassiolato Pires Hardoim, Marcio Reis Custodio
Summary: While there has been extensive research on the interactions between sponges and bacterial and archaeal communities, the potential and roles of associated protists are still poorly understood. Previous studies mainly focused on interactions with photosynthesizing taxa, with less emphasis on other less common groups. The use of metabarcoding is also limited due to primer pair and bioinformatics biases.
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Dagmar Koschnitzki, Ralf Moeller, Stefan Leuko, Bartos Przybyla, Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic, Reinhard Wirth, Harald Huber, Reinhard Rachel, Petra Rettberg
Summary: Radiation, either ionizing or non-ionizing, can harm cellular DNA integrity. Extremophilic microorganisms, like thermophilic archaea, show higher radiation tolerance. Ignicoccus hospitalis, a hyperthermophilic archaeon, displayed high survival and genome integrity under high doses of gamma radiation.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Alexander Mahnert, Cyprien Verseux, Petra Schwendner, Kaisa Koskinen, Christina Kumpitsch, Marcus Blohs, Lisa Wink, Daniela Brunner, Theodora Goessler, Daniela Billi, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
Summary: This study used the HI-SEAS IV mission to investigate microbial transfer between crew and habitat in an isolated environment. The results showed significant differences in microbial diversity, abundance, and composition between the built environment and its crew. The study highlights key targets for microbial monitoring and emphasizes the importance of defined baselines of microbiome diversity and abundance to ensure safety during future space endeavors.
Article
Microbiology
Alexandra Kristin Bashir, Lisa Wink, Stefanie Duller, Petra Schwendner, Charles Cockell, Petra Rettberg, Alexander Mahnert, Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic, Maria Bohmeier, Elke Rabbow, Frederic Gaboyer, Frances Westall, Nicolas Walter, Patricia Cabezas, Laura Garcia-Descalzo, Felipe Gomez, Mustapha Malki, Ricardo Amils, Pascale Ehrenfreund, Euan Monaghan, Pauline Vannier, Viggo Marteinsson, Armin Erlacher, George Tanski, Jens Strauss, Mina Bashir, Andreas Riedo, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
Summary: The study analyzed the characteristics and functions of microbial communities in extreme analogue environments, revealing their strong dependence on complex organic matter and impressive survival mechanisms. Additionally, a group of poly-extremophiles thriving in all study sites was identified. Furthermore, the presence of a core microbiome and microbial taxonomic similarities in extreme environments were highlighted.
Article
Microbiology
Christina Kumpitsch, Florian Ph S. Fischmeister, Alexander Mahnert, Sonja Lackner, Marilena Wilding, Corina Sturm, Anna Springer, Tobias Madl, Sandra Holasek, Christoph Hogenauer, Ivan A. Berg, Veronika Schoepf, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
Summary: The study identified that high methane emitters have a significant increase in Methanobrevibacter smithii in their microbiome, which co-occurs with a bacterial community specialized in dietary fiber degradation. High methane producers also show increased levels of formate and acetate in the gut, closely correlated with dietary habits and microbiome function, driving archaeal methanogenesis.
Article
Microbiology
Cynthia Maria Chibani, Alexander Mahnert, Guillaume Borrel, Alexandre Almeida, Almut Werner, Jean-Francois Brugere, Simonetta Gribaldo, Robert D. Finn, Ruth A. Schmitz, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
Summary: The study analyzed 1,167 nonredundant archaeal genomes from human gut microbiomes, revealing previously undescribed genera, associations with sociodemographic factors, and the presence of an archaeal virome. The research demonstrates that archaea exhibit specific genomic and functional adaptations to the host, carrying a complex virome that plays a role in human physiology. This work expands our understanding of the human archaeome and provides a genome catalogue for future studies.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Correction
Microbiology
Cynthia Maria Chibani, Alexander Mahnert, Guillaume Borrel, Alexandre Almeida, Almut Werner, Jean-Francois Brugere, Simonetta Gribaldo, Robert D. Finn, Ruth A. Schmitz, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Rokhsareh Mohammadzadeh, Alexander Mahnert, Stefanie Duller, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
Summary: Archaea, once regarded as eccentric inhabitants of extreme ecosystems, are now recognized as widespread microorganisms in various ecosystems, including the human body. Their definite role in human health and disease is not fully understood, but they are considered as important constituents of the human microbiome.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic, Johanna Piepjohn, Andre Antunes, Petra Rettberg
Summary: Mars analogue environments on Earth are extreme and valuable sources for finding new polyextremophilic microbes. Space experiments simulating Martian conditions are crucial to substantiate the hypotheses of Mars habitability. A project testing the survival capability of selected model organisms under Mars-relevant stress factors found that adding artificial Mars regolith and sucrose could extend survival, while mixing organisms before treatment improved survival after exposure to Mars-like UV radiation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ASTROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Manuela-Raluca Pausan, Marcus Blohs, Alexander Mahnert, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
Summary: A healthy human microbiome relies on the interaction and exchange of microbes with the environment. The built environment, particularly bathrooms, may serve as a potential source of commensal microbes, including anaerobic species. Researchers have found evidence of human-associated microbes, both aerobic and anaerobic, in bathroom samples.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Petra Schwendner, Andreas Riedo, Daniel J. Melton, Peter Horvath, Robert Lindner, Pascale Ehrenfreund, Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic, Petra Rettberg, Elke Rabbow, Frances Westall, Alexandra Bashir, Christine Moissl-Eichinger, Laura Garcia-Descalzo, Felipe Gomez, Ricardo Amils, Viggo Por Marteinsson, Nicolas Walter, Charles S. Cockell
Summary: The identification of reliable biomarkers is crucial for the search of extraterrestrial life. This study investigated if the anaerobic microbial metabolism of amino acids could leave a secondary biosignature indicating biological activity. The findings suggest that substantial anomalous enhancements of some amino acids may be a signature of the presence of biological processes.
FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Christoph Hoegenauer, Heinz F. Hammer, Alexander Mahnert, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
Summary: Archaea, as a part of human gut microbiota, play an important role in human health and disease. However, their significance remains largely unknown due to their non-bacterial biology and detection issues.
NATURE REVIEWS GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jia-Hui Wu, Terry J. McGenity, Petra Rettberg, Marta F. Simoes, Wen-Jun Li, Andre Antunes
Summary: This paper provides an overview of published data on astrobiology-linked exposure experiments performed with members of the Halobacteria, identifying clear knowledge gaps and research opportunities.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Marcus Blohs, Alexander Mahnert, Kevin Brunnader, Christina Flucher, Christoph Castellani, Holger Till, Georg Singer, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
Summary: Mounting evidence suggests that acute appendicitis (AA) is not one but two diseases: complicated appendicitis, associated with necrosis leading to perforation or periappendicular abscess, and uncomplicated appendicitis, which does not necessarily result in perforation. In this study, the microbiome of samples from 60 children and adolescents with AA was investigated to assess the composition and potential function of bacteria, archaea, and fungi. The analysis revealed a shift in the microbiome depending on the severity of AA, with complicated cases associated with oral bacterial pathogens and uncomplicated cases characterized by gut-associated microbiomes. Advanced microbiome diagnosis could improve the non-surgical treatment of uncomplicated AA.
Review
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Karen Olsson-Francis, Peter T. Doran, Vyacheslav Ilyin, Francois Raulin, Petra Rettberg, Gerhard Kminek, Maria-Paz Zorzano Mier, Athena Coustenis, Niklas Hedman, Omar Al Shehhi, Eleonora Ammannito, James Bernardini, Masaki Fujimoto, Olivier Grasset, Frank Groen, Alex Hayes, Sarah Gallagher, K. Praveen Kumar, Christian Mustin, Akiko Nakamura, Elaine Seasly, Yohey Suzuki, Jing Peng, Olga Prieto-Ballesteros, Silvio Sinibaldi, Kanyan Xu, Maxim Zaitsev
Summary: Planetary protection guidelines for Martian exploration have gained significant attention due to increasing scientific interest in the habitability of Mars, advancements in technology, and the involvement of various organizations in space activities. The COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection has developed international standards in consultation with the scientific community and space agencies, providing guidance for compliance with the Outer Space Treaty. In 2021, the Panel assessed recent scientific data and literature to evaluate the planetary protection requirements for Mars and discuss future steps for robotic missions.
LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eva-Maria Pferschy-Wenzig, Olaf Kunert, Timo Thumann, Christine Moissl-Eichinger, Rudolf Bauer
Summary: Silymarin, a mixture of flavonolignans from milk thistle fruits, has various pharmacological activities. However, its oral bioavailability is limited due to low water solubility and extensive metabolism. The study investigated the biotransformation of silymarin by gut microorganisms and identified multiple metabolites, including demethylation products and low molecular weight aromatic metabolites. The potential pharmacological activities of these gut microbial metabolites warrant further examination.