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Survival of Spores of Trichoderma longibrachiatum in Space: data from the Space Experiment SPORES on EXPOSE-R

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 November 2014

Katja Neuberger ,
Astrid Lux-Endrich ,
Corinna Panitz  and
Gerda Horneck
Katja Neuberger*
Affiliation:
Technische Universität München, Center of Life and Food Sciences, Alte Akademie 8 D-85354 Freising, Germany
Astrid Lux-Endrich
Affiliation:
Technische Universität München, Center of Life and Food Sciences, Alte Akademie 8 D-85354 Freising, Germany
Corinna Panitz
Affiliation:
German Aerospace Center DLR, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Section, D-51170 Köln, Germany RWTW/Klinikum Aachen, Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Wendlingweg 2, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
Gerda Horneck
Affiliation:
German Aerospace Center DLR, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Section, D-51170 Köln, Germany
*
e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

In the space experiment ‘Spores in artificial meteorites’ (SPORES), spores of the fungus Trichoderma longibrachiatum were exposed to low-Earth orbit for nearly 2 years on board the EXPOSE-R facility outside of the International Space Station. The environmental conditions tested in space were: space vacuum at 10−7–10−4 Pa or argon atmosphere at 105 Pa as inert gas atmosphere, solar extraterrestrial ultraviolet (UV) radiation at λ > 110 nm or λ > 200 nm with fluences up to 5.8 × 108 J m−2, cosmic radiation of a total dose range from 225 to 320 mGy, and temperature fluctuations from −25 to +50°C, applied isolated or in combination. Comparable control experiments were performed on ground. After retrieval, viability of spores was analysed by two methods: (i) ethidium bromide staining and (ii) test of germination capability. About 30% of the spores in vacuum survived the space travel, if shielded against insolation. However, in most cases no significant decrease was observed for spores exposed in addition to the full spectrum of solar UV irradiation. As the spores were exposed in clusters, the outer layers of spores may have shielded the inner part. The results give some information about the likelihood of lithopanspermia, the natural transfer of micro-organisms between planets. In addition to the parameters of outer space, sojourn time in space seems to be one of the limiting parameters.

Keywords

fungal sporesInternational Space Stationlithopanspermiaspace experiments
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 14 , Special Issue 1: SPECIAL ISSUE: EXPOSE-R , January 2015 , pp. 129 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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