scholarly journals Nanopore sequencing at Mars, Europa, and microgravity conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher E. Carr ◽  
Noelle C. Bryan ◽  
Kendall N. Saboda ◽  
Srinivasa A. Bhattaru ◽  
Gary Ruvkun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parabolic Flight ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Space Vehicles ◽  
Nanopore Sequencing ◽  
Icy Moons ◽  
Microbial Monitoring ◽  
Oxford Nanopore ◽  
Microgravity Conditions ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Consistent Performance

Abstract Nanopore sequencing, as represented by Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ MinION, is a promising technology for in situ life detection and for microbial monitoring including in support of human space exploration, due to its small size, low mass (~100 g) and low power (~1 W). Now ubiquitous on Earth and previously demonstrated on the International Space Station (ISS), nanopore sequencing involves translocation of DNA through a biological nanopore on timescales of milliseconds per base. Nanopore sequencing is now being done in both controlled lab settings as well as in diverse environments that include ground, air, and space vehicles. Future space missions may also utilize nanopore sequencing in reduced gravity environments, such as in the search for life on Mars (Earth-relative gravito-inertial acceleration (GIA) g = 0.378), or at icy moons such as Europa (g = 0.134) or Enceladus (g = 0.012). We confirm the ability to sequence at Mars as well as near Europa or Lunar (g = 0.166) and lower g levels, demonstrate the functionality of updated chemistry and sequencing protocols under parabolic flight, and reveal consistent performance across g level, during dynamic accelerations, and despite vibrations with significant power at translocation-relevant frequencies. Our work strengthens the use case for nanopore sequencing in dynamic environments on Earth and in space, including as part of the search for nucleic-acid based life beyond Earth.

scholarly journals Nanopore Sequencing at Mars, Europa and Microgravity Conditions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher E. Carr ◽  
Noelle C. Bryan ◽  
Kendall N. Saboda ◽  
Srinivasa A. Bhattaru ◽  
Gary Ruvkun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parabolic Flight ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Space Vehicles ◽  
Nanopore Sequencing ◽  
Icy Moons ◽  
Microbial Monitoring ◽  
Oxford Nanopore ◽  
Microgravity Conditions ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Consistent Performance

AbstractNanopore sequencing, as represented by Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ MinION, is a promising technology for in situ life detection and for microbial monitoring including in support of human space exploration, due to its small size, low mass (∼100 g) and low power (∼1W). Now ubiquitous on Earth and previously demonstrated on the International Space Station (ISS), nanopore sequencing involves translocation of DNA through a biological nanopore on timescales of milliseconds per base. Nanopore sequencing is now being done in both controlled lab settings as well as in diverse environments that include ground, air and space vehicles. Future space missions may also utilize nanopore sequencing in reduced gravity environments, such as in the search for life on Mars (Earth-relative gravito-inertial acceleration (GIA) g = 0.378), or at icy moons such as Europa (g = 0.134) or Enceladus (g = 0.012). We confirm the ability to sequence at Mars as well as near Europa or Lunar (g = 0.166) and lower g levels, demonstrate the functionality of updated chemistry and sequencing protocols under parabolic flight, and reveal consistent performance across g level, during dynamic accelerations, and despite vibrations with significant power at translocation-relevant frequencies. Our work strengthens the use case for nanopore sequencing in dynamic environments on Earth and in space, including as part of the search for nucleic-acid based life beyond Earth.

scholarly journals SHS for Space Exploration

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
A.E. Sytschev ◽  
S.G. Vadchenko ◽  
V.A. Shcherbakov ◽  
O.K. Kamynina ◽  
O.D. Boyarchenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structure Formation ◽  
Parabolic Flight ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Combustion Products ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Space Technology ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Microgravity Conditions

For over past years, interest of leading space agencies (NASA, JAXA, ESA, RSA, etc.) in SHS experiments under microgravity conditions has been increasingly growing. The first SHS experiments during a parabolic flight in Russia and aboard the MIR Space station gave promising results. Similar studies are now<br />being carried out in various countries. The obtained data and assimilated experience have shown that SHS reactions can be used for (a) synthesis of high-porosity materials and regulation of structure formation in combustion products, (b) preparation of skeleton structures by combustion of particles suspended in vacuum, (c) generation of thermal energy, (d) generation of incandescent radiation, and (e) for in-space fabrication and in-situ repair works (welding, joining, cutting, coating, near-net-shape production, etc.). However, the results of the above studies (strongly scattered in the literature) still seem insufficient for elucidating the mechanism of combustion in. Indeed, the experiments were carried out by different researchers for a dozen<br />of systems and for strongly different duration of microgravity (drop towers, parabolic flight of a plane, parabolic flight of a spacecraft, in space stations). No correlation has been made with the available data of SHS studies (oriented largely on practical implementation) in conditions of artificial gravity. In experiments, the combustion wave has enough time to spread over the sample while the structure formation, may not have. This implies that the process of wave propagation should always be identical, <br />irrespective of the type of experimental technique and place of experiment. SHS experiments in space are attractive because (a) of low energy requirements, (b) processing cycle is short, (c) of process simplicity, (d) of versatility (wide range of suitable materials, and (e) the use of in-situ resources possible. To date, SHS experiments has already been performed aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Space technology has been developed for frontier exploration not only around the Earth orbit environment but also to the Moon, Mars, etc.

Antiprobcotron magnetic trap for charged dust particles in space experiments

2019 ◽  
pp. 20-29
Author(s):  
Lev G. D’YACHKOV ◽  
Mikhail M. VASILYEV ◽  
Oleg F. PETROV ◽  
Sergey F. SAVIN ◽  
Igor V. CHURILO
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Trap ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Coulomb Systems ◽  
Inhomogeneous Magnetic Field ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Charged Dust ◽  
Magnetic Traps ◽  
Space Experiments ◽  
Microgravity Conditions ◽  
New Space

We discuss the possibility of using static magnetic traps as an alternative to electrostatic traps for forming and confining structures of charged dust particles in a gas discharge plasma in the context of our study of strongly interacting Coulomb systems. Some advantages of confining structures in magnetic traps over electrostatic ones are shown. Also we provide a review of the related researches carried out first in laboratory conditions, and then under microgravity conditions including the motivation of performing the experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The preparations of a new space experiment «Coulomb-magnet» as well as the differences of a new equipment from previously used are described. We proposed the main tasks of the new experiment as a study of the dynamics and structure of active monodisperse and polydisperse macroparticles in an inhomogeneous magnetic field under microgravity conditions, including phase transitions and the evolution of such systems in the kinetic heating of dust particles by laser radiation. Key words: Coulomb structures, magnetic trap, antiprobotron, diamagnetic particles, dust particles, microgravity.

Thermophysical Properties of Fluids Measured Under Microgravity Conditions

1998 ◽  
Vol 551 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.-J. Fecht ◽  
R.K. Wunderlich
Keyword(s):  
Thermophysical Property ◽  
Thermophysical Properties ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Space Flights ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Property Data ◽  
Microgravity Conditions ◽  
Key Industries ◽  
Sufficient Precision

AbstractThe analysis of nucleation and growth processes relies mostly on circular arguments since basic thermophysical properties necessary, such as the Gibbs free energy (enthalpy of crystallization, specific heat), the density, emissivity, thermal conductivity (diffusivity), diffusion coefficients, surface tension, viscosity, interfacial crystal / liquid tension, etc. are generally unknown with sufficient precision and therefore often deduced from insufficient linear interpolations from the elements. The paucity of thermophysical property data for commercial materials as well as research materials is mostly a result of the experimental difficulties arising from the unwanted convection and reactions of melts with containers at high temperatures. An overview will be given on the results of thermophysical property measurements during several different space flights using containerless processing methods. Furthermore, a perspective on a future measurement program of thermophysical properties supported by the European Space Agency is described. In this regard, the International Space Station is considered as the ideal laboratory for high precision measurements of thermophysical properties of fluids which help to improve manufacturing processes for a number of key industries.

scholarly journals Genome and transcriptome of a pathogenic yeast, Candida nivariensis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunfan Fan ◽  
Andrew N Gale ◽  
Anna Bailey ◽  
Kali Barnes ◽  
Kiersten Colotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Candida Glabrata ◽  
Nanopore Sequencing ◽  
Cdna Sequencing ◽  
Pathogenic Yeast ◽  
Mitochondrial Sequence ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Oxford Nanopore ◽  
Candida Nivariensis ◽  
Oxford Nanopore Technologies

Abstract We present a highly contiguous genome and transcriptome of the pathogenic yeast, Candida nivariensis. We sequenced both the DNA and RNA of this species using both the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) and Illumina platforms. We assembled the genome into an 11.8 Mb draft composed of 16 contigs with an N50 of 886 Kb, including a circular mitochondrial sequence of 28 Kb. Using direct RNA nanopore sequencing and Illumina cDNA sequencing, we constructed an annotation of our new assembly, supplemented by lifting over genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida glabrata.

Improved resolution crystal structure of Acanthamoeba actophorin reveals structural plasticity not induced by microgravity

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Quirk ◽  
Raquel L. Lieberman
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Molecular Replacement ◽  
International Space ◽  
Microgravity Conditions ◽  
Turn Region

Actophorin, a protein that severs actin filaments isolated from the amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii, was employed as a test case for crystallization under microgravity. Crystals of purified actophorin were grown under microgravity conditions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) utilizing an interactive crystallization setup between the ISS crew and ground-based experimenters. Crystals grew in conditions similar to those grown on earth. The structure was solved by molecular replacement at a resolution of 1.65 Å. Surprisingly, the structure reveals conformational changes in a remote β-turn region that were previously associated with actophorin phosphorylated at the terminal residue Ser1. Although crystallization under microgravity did not yield a higher resolution than crystals grown under typical laboratory conditions, the conformation of actophorin obtained from solving the structure suggests greater flexibility in the actophorin β-turn than previously appreciated and may be beneficial for the binding of actophorin to actin filaments.

scholarly journals High resolution species detection: accurate long read eDNA metabarcoding of North Sea fish using Oxford Nanopore sequencing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karlijn Doorenspleet ◽  
Lara Jansen ◽  
Saskia Oosterbroek ◽  
Oscar Bos ◽  
Pauline Kamermans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
North Sea ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Nanopore Sequencing ◽  
Nature Restoration ◽  
Oxford Nanopore ◽  
Field Samples ◽  
Long Read

To monitor the effect of nature restoration projects in North Sea ecosystems, accurate and intensive biodiversity assessments are vital. DNA based techniques and especially environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding from seawater is becoming a powerful monitoring tool. However, current approaches are based on genetic target regions of <500 nucleotides, which offer limited taxonomic resolution. This study aims to develop and validate a long read nanopore sequencing method for eDNA that enables improved identification of fish species. We designed a universal primer pair targeting a 2kb region covering the 12S and 16S rRNA genes of fish mitochondria. eDNA was amplified and sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore MiniON. Sequence data was processed using the new pipeline Decona, and accurate consensus identities of above 99.9% were retrieved. The primer set efficiency was tested with eDNA from a 3.000.000 L zoo aquarium with 31 species of bony fish and elasmobranchs. Over 55% of the species present were identified on species level and over 75% on genus level. Next, our long read eDNA metabarcoding approach was applied to North Sea eDNA field samples collected at ship wreck sites, the Gemini Offshore Wind Farm, the Borkum Reef Grounds and a bare sand bottom. Here, location specific fish and vertebrate communities were obtained. Incomplete reference databases still form a major bottleneck in further developing high resolution long read metabarcoding. Yet, the method has great potential for rapid and accurate fish species monitoring in marine field studies.

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