Planetary protection – Approaching uncultivable microorganisms

摘要: Abstract With ESA’s MiDiv project [ Rettberg, P., Fritze, D., Verbarg, S., Nellen, J., Horneck, G., Stackebrandt, E., Kminek, G. Final report ESA MiDiv, contract number 17538/03/NL/VS ] the exobiology group at German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Cologne started to investigate microbial diversity found on spacecrafts and assembly halls used by Europe Determination of spacecraft facilities: first results MiDiv. Adv. Space Res., 2005 ]. So far this examination was limited cultivable microorganisms, probably excluding majority organisms present. To approach uncultivable new methods, have be implemented into analysing process. Therefore, we describe paper adaptation an existing protocol (surface sampling with swabs) a method based detection DNA-fragments polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Our data indicate that it is feasible adapt standardized sample taking process PCR-method. While using classical swabbing/cultivation for microorganisms surface, two impairing factors accounted for. First, not all bacteria present surface will taken up swab second, released again from swab. This lead diminished overall estimation surface. studies further suggested estimated had corrected factor 2–3 correspond actual numbers spores spotted.