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Gravitational Effects on Biofilm Formation During Space Flight (Micro-2)
04.26.13

OpNom: Micro-xx

Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Imagery

Experiment Overview

This content was provided by Cynthia H. Collins, Ph.D., and is maintained in a database by the ISS Program Science Office.

Brief Summary

The Gravitational Effects on Biofilm Formation During Space Flight (Micro-2) experiment studies how gravity alters biofilm (aggregation of microorganisms) formation with the goal of developing new strategies to reduce their impact on crew health and to minimize the harmful effects of biofilms on materials in space and on Earth.

Principal Investigator(s)

  • Cynthia H. Collins, Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States

    • Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

  • Joel L. Plawsky, Sc.D.,, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
  • Jonathan S. Dordick, Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States

    • Developer(s)

    University of Colorado at Boulder, BioServe Space Technologies, Boulder, CO, United States

    Sponsoring Space Agency

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

    Sponsoring Organization

    Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD)

    Research Benefits

    Information Pending

    ISS Expedition Duration

    March 2010 - September 2010

    Expeditions Assigned

    23/24

    Previous ISS Missions

    This will be the first flight for the Micro-2 experiment.

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    Experiment Description

    Research Overview

    • The Gravitational Effects on Biofilm Formation During Space Flight (Micro-2) investigation aims to understand the different responses and physical effects of reduced gravitational force on biofilm formation (aggregation of microorganisms). Cells grown in microgravity will be compared to cells grown in normal gravity. The amount of biomass formed is measured and confocal microscopy is used to identify changes in the three-dimensional structures of the biofilms. This study will also test a number of newly developed antimicrobial surfaces for their potential to reduce biofilm formation.


    • Understanding the different responses and physical effects of microgravity on biofilm formation may provide new insights into combating biofilm formation in space. Further, this work may also lead to better management and treatment of infections in space and on Earth.

    Description

    The goal of the Gravitational Effects on Biofilm Formation During Space Flight (Micro-2) experiment is to understand the effects of microgravity on the growth, cellular physiology, and cell-cell interactions in microbial biofilms (aggregation of microorganisms). It will focus on two model microorganisms that form biofilms both inside and outside of the human body, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. These microbes can switch between benign and pathogenic interactions with humans and may be relevant to crew health during extended missions. This experiment will also test the ability of novel antimicrobial surfaces to reduce biofilm formation.

    When cells form biofilms they have a number of potentially harmful properties, including increased potential for infection and increased resistance to antimicrobial compounds. Biofilms have the potential to cause significant damage to both spacecraft and their crew; numerous problems caused by biofilms were documented on Mir. A greater understanding of the effects of spaceflight on biofilms is critical.

    The Micro-2 experiment will make use of Group Activation Packs (GAPs) stored in a Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA). The CGBA is a flight certified incubator capable of controlling the temperature between 8ºC and 37ºC and can hold up to 16 GAPs. Each GAP holds eight Fluid Processing Apparatus (FPA) inserts. The FPA is composed of a glass barrel divided into three chambers that are separated from one another by rubber septa. Each FPA will contain growth medium with membranes in the first chamber, a microbial culture suspended in stasis medium in the second chamber, and a termination reagent in the last chamber.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    Understanding the different effects of microgravity on biofilm formation may provide new insights into combating biofilm formation in space and may lead to better management and treatment of infections if they occur. Also, novel antimicrobial surfaces will be tested for their potential to reduce the impact of biofilms in future spacecraft design.

    Earth Applications

    According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), hospital-acquired infections are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States behind stroke, cancer and heart disease. Furthermore, it is estimated that >65% of all bacterial infections are associated with biofilms. A greater understanding of biofilms is essential if we are to find effective methods to combat their formation. Furthermore, the low-shear conditions microbes experience in microgravity are similar to those found in the human body that are difficult to study. This work may provide new insights into the role of shear and other physical effects, such as convection, on biofilm formation.

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    The Micro-2 experiment consists of 128 samples housed in 16 GAPs. The temperature profile of the CGBA and the two temperature loggers (HOBOs) are required for the post-flight analysis of the data.

    Operational Protocols

    The samples will be stowed in the CGBA at 8ºC until as late in the mission as possible then CGBA temperature will be set to 37ºC. After 14-21 hours, to allow the temperature of the samples in the FPAs to have reached and stabilized at 37ºC, all 16 GAPs will be activated. To activate the samples, a crewmember must remove the CGBA from its middeck stowage location, take out each GAP and install the hand crank. The hand crank is then turned until the cell suspension in the second chamber is introduced to the growth media in the first chamber. Following the 72-hour growth period, a crewmember will again install the hand crank and terminate the GAPs by adding the termination reagent in the last chamber to the cells. Only GAPs 1-10 will need to be terminated. All GAPs will be returned to the CGBA and the CGBA will be set to 8ºC where it will remain until recovery.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Results Publications

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    Ground Based Results Publications

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    ISS Patents

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    Related Publications

      McLean RJ, Cassanto JM, Barnes MB, Koo JH.  Bacterial biofilm formation under microgravity conditions. Federation of European Microbiological Societies - Microbiology Letters. 2001; 195: 115-119.

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    Related Websites
  • Flight Systems Implementation: Payloads

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    Imagery

    image The GAP-FPA is essentially a microgravity test tube that allows controlled, sequential mixing of 2 or 3 fluids in a weightless environment. Image courtesy of BioServe Space Technologies, University of Colorado - Boulder, Boulder, CO.
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    Information provided by the investigation team to the ISS Program Scientist's Office.
    If updates are needed to the summary please contact JSC-ISS-Program-Science-Group. For other general questions regarding space station research and technology, please feel free to call our help line at 281-244-6187 or e-mail at JSC-ISS-Research-Helpline.
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