A recent study sampled the microbe diversity that can survive in the International Space Station (ISS). The study revealed that humans take their microbes with them into space. Molecular and culture-based methods allowed the assessment of microbial communities on ISS surfaces. Bacterial and fungal DNA was detected using amplicon sequencing. The study revealed a diverse population of bacteria and fungi on ISS environmental surfaces and the dominant organisms were associated with the human microbiome.
ISS
Table 1 lists primer pairs used by the study useful for the detection of pathogens present in the human microbiome.
Table 1: Primers for PCR amplification and sequencing
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Primers
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Sequences
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16S rRNA gene
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Forward
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5′-AGA GTT TGA TCC TGG CTC AG-3′
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27F
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Reverse
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5′-GGT TAC CTT GTT ACG ACT T-3′
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1492R
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Partial 16S rRNA gene
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Forward
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5′-CGG TGA ATA CGT TCY CGG-3′
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1369F
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Reverse
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5′-GGW TAC CTT GTT ACG ACT T-3′
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1492R
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ITS region
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Forward
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5′-TTG GTC ATT TAG AGG AAG TAA-3′
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ITS1F
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Reverse
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5′-GGT CCG TGT TTC AAG ACG-3′
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Tw13
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Forward
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5′-GTC CCT GCC CTT TGT ACA CAC-3′
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NS91
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Reverse
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5′-ACC TTG TTA CGA CTT TTA CTT CCT C-3′
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ITS51
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Bacterial diversity can be assessed by analyzing the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene coding sequence.
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Analysis of Bacterial Diversity
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The V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene coding sequence can be used for this.
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Forward
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5′-CAG CMG CCG CGG TAA-3′
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A519F (S-D-Arch-0519-a-S-15)
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Reverse
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5′-TAC NVG GGT ATC TAA TCC-3′
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802R (S-D-Bact-0785-b-A-18)
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Analysis of Fungal Diversity
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The ITS1 region between 18S and 5.8S rRNA coding sequences can be used.
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Forward
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5′-TAG AGG AAG TAA AAG TCG TAA-3′
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ITS1-F_KYO2
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Reverse
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5′-TTY RCT RCG TTC TTC ATC-3′
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ITS2_KYO2
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Expected amplicon length distribution is 271 ± 90 bp for Ascomycota, 284 ± 42 bp for Basidiomycota, and 216 ± 94 bp for non-Dikarya species.
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Reference
Checinska Sielaff, Aleksandra, Urbaniak, Camilla, Mohan, Ganesh Babu Malli, Stepanov, Victor G., Tran, Quyen, Wood, Jason M., Minich, Jeremiah, McDonald, Daniel, Mayer, Teresa, Knight, Rob, Karouia, Fathi, Fox, George E., Venkateswaran, Kasthuri, (2019); Characterization of the total and viable bacterial and fungal communities associated with the International Space Station surfaces. Microbiome 2019 7:50.
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