Space Biotechnology Research Articles

Beyond Earth: Harnessing Marine Resources for Sustainable Space Colonization

The quest for sustainable space exploration and colonization is a challenge in its infancy, which faces scarcity of resources and an inhospitable environment. In recent years, advancements in space biotechnology have emerged as potential solutions to the hurdles of prolonged space habitation. Taking cues from the oceans, this review focuses on the sundry types of marine organisms and marine-derived chemicals that have the potential of sustaining life beyond planet Earth. It addresses how marine life, including algae, invertebrates, and microorganisms, may be useful in bioregenerative life support systems, food production, pharmaceuticals, radiation shielding, energy sources, materials, and other applications in space habitats. With the considerable and still unexplored potential of Earth’s oceans that can be employed in developing space colonization, we allow ourselves to dream of the future where people can expand to other planets, not only surviving but prospering. Implementing the blend of marine and space sciences is a giant leap toward fulfilling man’s age-long desire of conquering and colonizing space, making it the final frontier.

Клинико-фармакологический анализ применения антисептических препаратов в практической медицине

This review is devoted to benzyldimethyl [3-(myristoylamino) propyl] ammonium (Miramistin®), a universal antiseptic developed in the early 1980s by pharmacologists of the Soviet Union within the framework of ‘Space Biotechnology’ programs, and then registered in the Russian Federation in 2007 as a local antiseptic agent. We provide detailed analysis of the results of multiple studies (both in vitro and clinical studies) proving its high antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activity. We also describe the main mechanisms of its action, process of its synthesis, degradation, and the impact on the microbiota and environment (biodegradability of Miramistin® reaches 88–93%; the products of its degradation have no genotoxic effects). Miramistin® meets all the requirements in terms of its efficacy and safety; patients tolerate it well. Such a combination of properties enables its successful use for the treatment and prevention of various infectious and inflammatory diseases caused by different pathogens and affecting different anatomical regions not only in adults, but also in children. Key words: antimicrobial, antiseptic, antifungal and antiviral activity, solution for topical application

Metabolic engineering of Bacillus subtilis for production of para-aminobenzoic acid - unexpected importance of carbon source is an advantage for space application.

SummaryHigh‐strength polymers, such as aramid fibres, are important materials in space technology. To obtain these materials in remote locations, such as Mars, biological production is of interest. The aromatic polymer precursor para‐aminobenzoic acid (pABA) can be derived from the shikimate pathway through metabolic engineering of Bacillus subtilis, an organism suited for space synthetic biology. Our engineering strategy included repair of the defective indole‐3‐glycerol phosphate synthase (trpC), knockout of one chorismate mutase isozyme (aroH) and overexpression of the aminodeoxychorismate synthase (pabAB) and aminodeoxychorismate lyase (pabC) from the bacteria Corynebacterium callunae and Xenorhabdus bovienii respectively. Further, a fusion‐protein enzyme (pabABC) was created for channelling of the carbon flux. Using adaptive evolution, mutants of the production strain, able to metabolize xylose, were created, to explore and compare pABA production capacity from different carbon sources. Rather than the efficiency of the substrate or performance of the biochemical pathway, the product toxicity, which was strongly dependent on the pH, appeared to be the overall limiting factor. The highest titre achieved in shake flasks was 3.22 g l−1 with a carbon yield of 12.4% [C‐mol/C‐mol] from an amino sugar. This promises suitability of the system for in situ resource utilization (ISRU) in space biotechnology, where feedstocks that can be derived from cyanobacterial cell lysate play a role.

Моделируемая микрогравитация в биомедицине

Биомедицинские исследования в космосе способствуют прогрессу и появлению технологических разработок с большим прикладным потенциалом в медицине, фармакологии и тканевой инженерии. Исследования, выполняемые в условиях микрогравитации, являются важной частью космической биологии и физиологии человека. Наземные объекты моделирования / симуляции микрогравитации с использованием различных культур клеток и тканей направлены, в том числе, на подготовку будущих космических миссий. Моделирование микрогравитации позволяет исследовать молекулярные и клеточные механизмы биологических эффектов явлений клеточного стресса и трансформации нормальных и опухолевых клеток при изменении гравитации. С другой стороны, клеточные биологические исследования в космосе обеспечили лучшее понимание физиологического функционирования клеток и организмов. В данном обзоре суммируются сведения последних лет о клеточных изменениях при микрогравитации и обсуждаются перспективы применения метода моделируемой микрогравитации в биомедицине. Biotechnological research in space has led to significant scientific breakthroughs and technological developments with a great applied potential in medicine, pharmacology and tissue engineering. Microgravity research is an important part of space biology and human physiology. Ground-based modeling of simulated microgravity using different cell and tissue cultures is aimed at preparing future space missions. Simulated microgravity allows exploring molecular and cellular mechanisms of biological effects on cell stress and transformations of normal and tumor cells under changed gravity. Cell biology research in space provided a better understanding of cell and body physiology. This review presents information of recent years about cell changes in microgravity and discusses the prospects for using simulated microgravity in space biotechnology.

Space Program SJ-10 of Microgravity Research

SJ-10 program provides a mission of space microgravity experiments including both fields of microgravity science and space life science aboard the 24th recoverable satellite of China. Scientific purpose of the program is to promote the scientific research in the space microgravity environment by operating the satellite at lower earth orbit for 2 weeks. There are totally 27 experiments, including 17 ones in the field of microgravity science (microgravity fluid physics 6, microgravity combustion 3, and space materials science 8) and 10 in the field of space life science (radiation biology 3, gravitational biology 3, and space biotechnology 4). These experiments were selected from more than 200 applications. The satellite will be launched in the end of 2015 or a bit later. It is expected that many fruitful scientific results on microgravity science and space life science will be contributed by this program.

Biotechnology in Space: Challenges and Opportunities for Solid Phase Gene Extraction

Biotechnology in Space: Challenges and Opportunities for Solid Phase Gene Extraction

Editorial (Thematic Issue: Current Biotechnology in Space)

Editorial (Thematic Issue: Current Biotechnology in Space)

Biotechnology in Space: Challenges and Opportunities for Solid Phase Gene Extraction

Biotechnology in Space: Challenges and Opportunities for Solid Phase Gene Extraction

Editorial (Hot Topic: Recent Advances in Space Biotechnology)

Editorial (Hot Topic: Recent Advances in Space Biotechnology)

Effects of spaceflight on cells of bone marrow origin.

Once only a subject for science fiction novels, plans for establishing habitation on space stations, the Moon, and distant planets now appear among the short-term goals of space agencies. This article reviews studies that present biomedical issues that appear to challenge humankind for long-term spaceflights. With particularly focus on cells of bone marrow origin, studies involving changes in bone, immune, and red blood cell populations and their functions due to extended weightlessness were reviewed. Furthermore, effects of mechanical disuse on primitive stem cells that reside in the bone marrow were also included in this review. Novel biomedical solutions using space biotechnology will be required in order to achieve the goal of space exploration without compromising the functions of bone marrow, as spaceflight appears to disrupt homeostasis for all given cell types. Conflict of interest:None declared.

Space experimental studies of microgravity fluid science in China

Microgravity fluid physics is an important part of microgravity sciences, which consists of simple fluids of many new systems, gas-liquid two-phase flow and heat transfer, and complex fluid mechanics. In addition to the importance of itself in sciences and applications, microgravity fluid physics closely relates to microgravity combustion, space biotechnology and space materials science, and promotes the developments of interdisciplinary fields. Many space microgravity experiments have been performed on board the recoverable satellites and space ships of China and pushed the rapid development of microgravity sciences in China. In the present paper, space experimental studies and the main results of the microgravity fluid science in China in the last 10 years or so are introduced briefly.

LIFE‐CENTERED ETHICS, AND THE HUMAN FUTURE IN SPACE

In the future, human destiny may depend on our ethics. In particular, biotechnology and expansion in space can transform life, raising profound questions. Guidance may be found in Life-centered ethics, as biotic ethics that value the basic patterns of organic gene/protein life, and as panbiotic ethics that always seek to expand life. These life-centered principles can be based on scientific insights into the unique place of life in nature, and the biological unity of all life. Belonging to life then implies a human purpose: to safeguard and propagate life. Expansion in space will advance this purpose but will also raise basic questions. Should we expand all life or only intelligent life? Should we aim to create populations of trillions? Should we seed other solar systems? How far can we change but still preserve the human species, and life itself? The future of all life may be in our hands, and it can depend on our guiding ethics whether life will fulfil its full potentials. Given such profound powers, life-centered ethics can best secure future generations. Our descendants may then understand nature more deeply, and seek to extend life indefinitely. In that future, our human existence can find a cosmic purpose.

Space cell physiology and space biotechnology in Russia

Publisher Summary Space biotechnology is a complex of novel technologies aimed at the production in microgravity of bio-objects and unique biological materials, among them diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive preparations. This is one of the major areas of research aboard piloted orbital stations that will allow the use in microgravity of new methods for producing useful biosamples. Experimental research in the fields of cell physiology and biotechnology carried out by Russian scientists on the board the orbital station Mir has shown that the effects of space flight factors on cells and biotechnology processes are multicomponent and significant. They could increase the possibility of developing new strains and substances for medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications. It could be said that the positive and negative experiences arising from space investigations in this field have brought about not only a new knowledge about the role of gravitational factors in cell processes, but also the creation of a new, young biological discipline—space biotechnology, which will expand on the International Space Station.

From cell biology to biotechnology in space.

In this article I discuss the main results of our research in space biology from the simple early investigations with human lymphocytes in the early eighties until the projects in tissue engineering of the next decade on the international space station ISS. The discovery that T lymphocyte activation is nearly totally depressed in vitro in 0 g conditions showed that mammalian single cells are sensitive to the gravitational environment. Such finding had important implications in basic research, medicine and biotechnology. Low gravity can be used as a tool to investigate complicated and still obscure biological process from a new perspective not available to earth-bound laboratories. Low gravity may also favor certain bioprocesses involving the growth of tissues and thus lead to commercial and medical applications. However, shortage of crew time and of other resources, lack of sophisticated instrumentation, safety constraints pose serious limits to biological endeavors in space laboratories.

宇宙開発とバイオテクノロジー

宇宙開発とバイオテクノロジー

Implications of new technology for pharmacy education and practice

Specific knowledge and skills needed by pharmacists in an era of advancing health-care technology are presented, and the most important modern technologic developments in health care are described briefly. Implementation of new technology in health care will be affected by cost considerations and by social trends such as shifting population demographics, an increase in diseases of lifestyle, consumerism, and self-care. Technologic advances in the following areas are described: computerized information networks, bioelectronics, biotechnology, computer graphics, diagnostic imaging, and drug development in space and in the oceans. Diseases are noted for which diagnosis and treatment using new technology is promising. The roles of interferon and monoclonal antibodies are described, and trends in development of new drugs and drug delivery systems are traced. A new philosophical basis for pharmacy education that is consistent with the needs of a technologically oriented society is needed. Practitioners will look to their professional societies for assistance in identifying and implementing the new technology.