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primary topic: Unveiling hidden microbial diversity in Mars 2020 mission assembly cleanrooms with molecular insights into the persistence and perseverance of novel species defying metagenome sequencing

Unveiling hidden microbial diversity in Mars 2020 mission assembly cleanrooms with molecular insights into the persistence and perseverance of novel species defying metagenome sequencing
type: AcademicArticle
type: Article
abstract: NASA cleanrooms, which are critical for assembling space mission components, are maintained under stringent decontamination protocols to minimize biological contamination. These environments are characterized by nutrient-poor and oligotrophic conditions, leading to low microbial loads. Despite extensive cleaning, oligotrophs capable of surviving in such conditions continue to persist, often remaining undetected due to their low abundance, resistance to environmental stresses, and difficulties in biomolecule extraction. Even with shotgun metagenome sequencing technologies, these microbes may go undetected or be underrepresented due to their robust cell walls and the absence of reference genomes in publicly available databases. Over a 6-month study of Mars 2020 mission cleanrooms, 182 bacterial strains belonging to 19 families were identified using a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) approach. Among these, 14 novel Gram-positive species were discovered, including eight spore formers. Though the novel species comprised only 0.001% of the sequencing data, their successful cultivation allowed for functional characterization. Through WGS data mining, genomic traits associated with resilience in extreme conditions were revealed. These species were found to be involved in nitrogen cycling, carbohydrate metabolism, and radiation resistance, traits essential for survival in extreme environments. Furthermore, 12 biosynthetic gene clusters were identified, including those linked to ectoine and Formula: see text-poly-L-lysine production, suggesting potential biotechnological applications. These findings highlight the hidden microbial diversity within cleanrooms and emphasize the necessity of advanced detection strategies. A better understanding of these microbes will provide insights into extremophiles with applications in biotechnology, medical research, and life support systems for future space exploration missions.IMPORTANCEDespite strict decontamination protocols, NASA cleanroom…
date: 2026-06-02
volume: 14
issue: 6
status: peerReviewed
status: published
author list: authors
type: EPrint
type: ArticleEPrint
is part of: repository
subject: QR Microbiology

American Society for Microbiology
type: Organization

Microbiol. Spectr.
type: Collection

Kasthuri Venkateswaran
type: Person
given name: Kasthuri
family name: Venkateswaran

Nikos C Kyrpides
type: Person
given name: Nikos C
family name: Kyrpides

Siddhakam Palmal
type: Person
given name: Siddhakam
family name: Palmal

Karthik Raman
type: Person
given name: Karthik
family name: Raman

Pratyay Sengupta
type: Person
given name: Pratyay
family name: Sengupta

Nitin Kumar Singh
type: Person
given name: Nitin
family name: Kumar Singh

Varsha Vijayakumar
type: Person
given name: Varsha
family name: Vijayakumar

Srinivasan Krishnamurthi
type: Person
given name: Srinivasan
family name: Krishnamurthi

Shobhan Karthick Muthamilselvi Sivabalan
type: Person
given name: Shobhan Karthick
family name: Muthamilselvi Sivabalan

http://crdd.osdd.net/open/3484/
title: HTML Summary of #3484 Unveiling hidden microbial diversity in Mars 2020 mission assembly cleanrooms with molecular insights into the persistence and perseverance of novel species defying metagenome sequencing
format: text/html
primary topic: Unveiling hidden microbial diversity in Mars 2020 mission assembly cleanrooms with molecular insights into the persistence and perseverance of novel species defying metagenome sequencing

QR Microbiology
type: Concept