Abstract
The initial characterization of the Aspergillus niger isolate JSC-093350089, collected from U.S. segment surfaces of the International Space Station (ISS), is reported, along with a comparison to the extensively studied strain ATCC 1015. Whole-genome sequencing of the ISS isolate enabled its phylogenetic placement within the A. niger/welwitschiae/lacticoffeatus clade and revealed that the genome of JSC-093350089 is within the observed genetic variance of other sequenced A. niger strains. The ISS isolate exhibited an increased rate of growth and pigment distribution compared to a terrestrial strain. Analysis of the isolate's proteome revealed significant differences in the molecular phenotype of JSC-093350089, including increased abundance of proteins involved in the A. niger starvation response, oxidative stress resistance, cell wall modulation, and nutrient acquisition. Together, these data reveal the existence of a distinct strain of A. niger on board the ISS and provide insight into the characteristics of melanized fungal species inhabiting spacecraft environments. IMPORTANCE A thorough understanding of how fungi respond and adapt to the various stimuli encountered during spaceflight presents many economic benefits and is imperative for the health of crew. As A. niger is a predominant ISS isolate frequently detected in built environments, studies of A. niger strains inhabiting closed systems may reveal information fundamental to the success of long-duration space missions. This investigation provides valuable insights into the adaptive mechanisms of fungi in extreme environments as well as countermeasures to eradicate unfavorable microbes. Further, it enhances understanding of host-microbe interactions in closed systems, which can help NASA's Human Research Program maintain a habitat healthy for crew during long-term manned space missions.
Highlights
The initial characterization of the Aspergillus niger isolate JSC093350089, collected from U.S segment surfaces of the International Space Station (ISS), is reported, along with a comparison to the extensively studied strain ATCC 1015
The 36.08-Mb genome sequence of JSC-093350089 was generated using whole-genome paired-end sequencing (WGS), which was further improved to high-quality assemblies of 223 scaffolds possessing 12,532 coding sequences and 287 tRNAs
In the current study, the molecular phenotype of a strain of A. niger isolated from the ISS was characterized
Summary
The initial characterization of the Aspergillus niger isolate JSC093350089, collected from U.S segment surfaces of the International Space Station (ISS), is reported, along with a comparison to the extensively studied strain ATCC 1015. Analysis of the isolate’s proteome revealed significant differences in the molecular phenotype of JSC-093350089, including increased abundance of proteins involved in the A. niger starvation response, oxidative stress resistance, cell wall modulation, and nutrient acquisition Together, these data reveal the existence of a distinct strain of A. niger on board the ISS and provide insight into the characteristics of melanized fungal species inhabiting spacecraft environments. As A. niger is a predominant ISS isolate frequently detected in built environments, studies of A. niger strains inhabiting closed systems may reveal information fundamental to the success of long-duration space missions. This investigation provides valuable insights into the adaptive mechanisms of fungi in extreme environments as well as countermeasures to eradicate unfavorable microbes. Fungi inhabiting spacecraft are forced to acclimate to reduced nutrient availability, as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) routinely performs stringent microbial monitoring and remediation on the ISS [15]
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