Resistance of Antarctic black fungi and cryptoendolithic communities to simulated space and Martian conditions

Onofri, Silvano; Barreca, D.; Selbmann, Laura; Isola, Daniela; Rabbow, Elke; Horneck, G.; Vera, Jean Pierre Paul de; Hatton, Jason; Zucconi, Laura

doi:10.3114/sim.2008.61.10

Cited by 142 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…We choose to compare the cell responses between fungi belonging to two different thermal classes, psychrotolerant and mesophilic, that are able to grow in a wide range of temperatures. According to many reports on fungal biodiversity, these fungi are prevalent in Antarctica (Onofri et al, , 2008Arenz & Blanchette, 2011). Our results confirmed that the downshift of temperature induces typical events of oxidative stress.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Transient Cold Shock Induces Oxidative Stress Events in Antarctic Fungi

Kostadinova¹,

Krumova²,

Stefanova³

et al. 2012

Oxidative Stress - Environmental Induction and Dietary Antioxidants

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Transient Cold Shock Induces Oxidative Stress Events in Antarctic Fungi

Kostadinova¹,

Krumova²,

Stefanova³

et al. 2012

Oxidative Stress - Environmental Induction and Dietary Antioxidants

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“…A number of studies proved the high resistance of black meristematic fungi in terms of extremes of temperatures, acidity, osmotic stress and salinity, dehydration, solar and UV irradiation and even radioactivity (Sterflinger 1998(Sterflinger , 2006Gorbushina et al 2003Gorbushina et al , 2008Dadachova et al 2007;Onofri et al 2007bOnofri et al , 2008Selbmann et al 2008). RIF from the Antarctic desert have evolved and adapted to one of the most hostile terrestrial habitats on earth and, among them, Cryomyces antarcticus is one of the most extremotolerant eukaryotic organisms known to date, able to survive even real space exposure and simulated Martian conditions .…”

Section: Stress Tolerancementioning

confidence: 99%

Rock black fungi: excellence in the extremes, from the Antarctic to space

et al. 2014

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This work focuses on rock-inhabiting fungi (RIF) of Antarctic rocky deserts, considered the closest to a possible Martian habitat, as the best example of adaptation to the extremes. The study of RIF ecophysiology, resistance and adaptation provides tools that shed light on the evolution of extremophily. These studies also help define the actual limits for life and provide insight for investigating its existence beyond our planet. The scientific results obtained from over 20 years of research on the biodiversity, phylogeny and evolution toward extremotolerance reviewed here demonstrate how these fascinating organisms can withstand conditions well beyond those in their natural environment. A final focus is given on results and perspectives arising from a recent proteomic approach, and from astrobiological experiments and their significance for future space exploration. These studies demonstrate that Antarctic RIF offer an excellent opportunity to investigate many basic, but also applicative areas of research on extremophily.

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“…A SOL2000 solar simulator was used to simulate UV exposure (which produces wavelengths greater than 200 nm), and samples were exposed to UV irradiances such that total fluences in the ground experiments matched fluences in the flight experiments. The spectral quality of the lamp is provided in Onofri et al (2008).…”

Section: Ground Controlsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure of phototrophs to 548 days in low Earth orbit: microbial selection pressures in outer space and on early earth

Cockell

Rettberg²,

Rabbow³

et al. 2011

The ISME Journal

115

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An epilithic microbial community was launched into low Earth orbit, and exposed to conditions in outer space for 548 days on the European Space Agency EXPOSE-E facility outside the International Space Station. The natural phototroph biofilm was augmented with akinetes of Anabaena cylindrica and vegetative cells of Nostoc commune and Chroococcidiopsis. In space-exposed dark controls, two algae (Chlorella and Rosenvingiella spp.), a cyanobacterium (Gloeocapsa sp.) and two bacteria associated with the natural community survived. Of the augmented organisms, cells of A. cylindrica and Chroococcidiopsis survived, but no cells of N. commune. Only cells of Chroococcidiopsis were cultured from samples exposed to the unattenuated extraterrestrial ultraviolet (UV) spectrum (4110 nm or 200 nm). Raman spectroscopy and bright-field microscopy showed that under these conditions the surface cells were bleached and their carotenoids were destroyed, although cell morphology was preserved. These experiments demonstrate that outer space can act as a selection pressure on the composition of microbial communities. The results obtained from samples exposed to 4200 nm UV (simulating the putative worst-case UV exposure on the early Earth) demonstrate the potential for epilithic colonization of land masses during that time, but that UV radiation on anoxic planets can act as a strong selection pressure on surface-dwelling organisms. Finally, these experiments have yielded new phototrophic organisms of potential use in biomass and oxygen production in space exploration.

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Resistance of Antarctic black fungi and cryptoendolithic communities to simulated space and Martian conditions

Cited by 142 publications

References 24 publications

Transient Cold Shock Induces Oxidative Stress Events in Antarctic Fungi

Transient Cold Shock Induces Oxidative Stress Events in Antarctic Fungi

Rock black fungi: excellence in the extremes, from the Antarctic to space

Exposure of phototrophs to 548 days in low Earth orbit: microbial selection pressures in outer space and on early earth

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