Getting more out of microbes
NASA/Johnson Space Center
This study advances research for fundamental science and biotechnology applications by testing the performance of an unusual bacterial microorganism known as Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (Shewanella) in microgravity conditions. Shewanella uses metals in low or no oxygen environments to create energy for itself - a trait that could come in handy for space travel. One way to do this is to use waste from one system to power others. To this end, Micro-12 will examine the organism’s use of biofilms, extracellular electron transport, and overall fitness and performance in microgravity. Micro-12 stands to pave the way for many future microgravity studies of similar organisms.