Benoit M R, Li W, Stodieck L S, Lam K S, Winther C L, Roane T M, Klaus D M
BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA.
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2006 Apr;70(4):403-11. doi: 10.1007/s00253-005-0098-3. Epub 2005 Aug 10.
Previous studies examining metabolic characteristics of bacterial cultures have mostly suggested that reduced gravity is advantageous for microbial growth. As a consequence, the question of whether space flight would similarly enhance secondary metabolite production was raised. Results from three prior space shuttle experiments indicated that antibiotic production was stimulated in space for two different microbial systems, albeit under suboptimal growth conditions. The goal of this latest experiment was to determine whether the enhanced productivity would also occur with better growth conditions and over longer durations of weightlessness. Microbial antibiotic production was examined onboard the International Space Station during the 72-day 8A increment. Findings of increased productivity of actinomycin D by Streptomyces plicatus in space corroborated with previous findings for the early sample points (days 8 and 12); however, the flight production levels were lower than the matched ground control samples for the remainder of the mission. The overall goal of this research program is to elucidate the specific mechanisms responsible for the initial stimulation of productivity in space and translate this knowledge into methods for improving efficiency of commercial production facilities on Earth.
此前研究细菌培养物代谢特性的大多研究表明，重力降低有利于微生物生长。因此，有人提出太空飞行是否同样会提高次级代谢产物产量的问题。此前三项航天飞机实验的结果表明，尽管生长条件并非最优，但在太空中两种不同的微生物系统的抗生素产量都受到了刺激。这项最新实验的目的是确定在更好的生长条件下以及更长时间的失重状态下，是否也会出现生产力提高的情况。在国际空间站上进行的72天8A增量任务期间，对微生物抗生素产量进行了检测。在太空中，褶皱链霉菌产生放线菌素D的生产力提高这一结果，与早期采样点（第8天和第12天）的先前研究结果相符；然而，在任务剩余时间里，飞行样本的产量水平低于匹配的地面对照样本。该研究项目的总体目标是阐明在太空中生产力最初受到刺激的具体机制，并将这一知识转化为提高地球上商业生产设施效率的方法。
