Microbial Playoffs… In Spaaaace!

For information on Project MERCCURI, please visit our new website at www.spacemicrobes.org

(This page no longer maintained, see above)

patchFor this portion of the MERCCURI project we will collect microbes at sporting and other public events around the country and compete them against each other, both on Earth and on the International Space Station (ISS)

How will microbes be selected?

From each major event or venue, we will grow up several different microbes that came from that location.   These will compete against each other in a growth competition. The winners will be sent into space for the playoffs. At least one microbial representative will be sent to the ISS from each location.

What does it take to be a winner?

On the space station, we will be giving out awards in three different categories:

”Best Sprinter”.  For the microbial competitor who can grow the fastest during the sprinting portion of growth (technically known as the “exponential growth phase”).

-”Best Huddle”.  For the microbial competitor who can grow to the highest density… really packing those cells into the space allowed.

”Best Tip Off“.  For the microbial competitor who takes off growing like crazy from the start.

Why in space?

Previous work has shown that microbes grow very differently in microgravity than under normal conditions on earth.   We will conduct an exact duplicate of this entire experiment back on the ground, at the same time, and compare the results.  This could lead to new understandings about microbial growth mechanics or about the effects of microgravity on different microbes.  This is important for space travel and habitation in environments like the ISS where people co-exist in a closed environment with microbes.

Is this dangerous?

Nope.   The microbes will all be carefully identified on earth and only non-pathogenic species will be chosen for the playoffs.  In addition the microbes will remain in a sealed container during flight and the experiment.  At the end of the experiment the plates will be launched out of the space station and will burn up in the atmosphere (the coolest way to get rid of trash ever!)

One thought on “Microbial Playoffs… In Spaaaace!

  1. Do you guys have any project regarding plant pathogenic microorganisms causing diseases on plants out there? Perhaps a metagenomic project would help us a lot to understand the mechanisms of infection and colonization of plant pathogens. Compering results from space an earth we could be able to identify the genes responsible for pathogenicity. Artificially inoculated plant tissues could be send for analysis. One of the concerns would be to keep the samples preserved if possible at RNA levels. Do you guys any position available for jobs or post-docs? I am finishing my PhD in plant pathology next year. Thanks in advance for your attention. Rodrigo Pedrozo

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