Phylogenetic Diversity of Microbial Isolates from the Mars Pathfinder

As spacecraft are sent to different planets, they take with them microscopic pieces of life from Earth. It is the task of the Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group to keep as much of this life off other planets as possible as well as document any life that may have been sent. During the construction of the Mars Pathfinder, samples were collected from various locations on the spacecraft to test for contamination. These samples were then isolated, grown, documented, preserved and their 16S rRNA genes were sequenced for identification. The 16S rRNA gene sequence is utilized because it is a highly conserved portion of the transcriptional machinery of bacteria but also has known variable regions allowing it to be and amplified and used for distinguishing different genera and species of microbial life. All of the bacterial strains analyzed from this study were members of the genus Bacillus. Seventeen strains were sequenced and identified at greater than 98% homology to known type strains. After identifying the bacterial contaminant types, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will be able to better determine cleanliness protocols to maintain the international standard and protect Mars from Earth contamination on future missions

The Constraint Interpretation of Physical Emergence

I develop a variant of the constraint interpretation of the emergence of purely physical (non-biological) entities, focusing on the principle of the non-derivability of actual physical states from possible physical states (physical laws) alone. While this is a necessary condition for any account of emergence, it is not sufficient, for it becomes trivial if not extended to types of constraint that specifically constitute physical entities, namely, those that individuate and differentiate them. Because physical organizations with these features are in fact interdependent sets of such constraints, and because such constraints on physical laws cannot themselves be derived from physical laws, physical organization is emergent. These two complementary types of constraint are components of a complete non-reductive physicalism, comprising a non-reductive materialism and a non-reductive formalism

Fungal Biotechnology in Space: Why and How?

Fungi have been companions of mankind for millennia. Mushrooms inspired our eating culture, and yeasts and filamentous fungi were developed into highly efficient cell factories during the last 100 years to produce many products utilized in different industries worldwide. What more is to come in the next 100 years? We propose here that fungi can become important cell factories for life in space, especially regarding the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger as the cutting-edge must-have for space travel in the twenty-first century and beyond. First, it is one of the most robust and efficient production systems used nowadays in industrial biotechnology. Second, it is a multipurpose cell factory that produces a diverse range of organic acids, proteins, enzymes and natural products. And third, it is a common fungal isolate of the International Space Station. A. niger could thus become an essential companion of astronauts for the autonomous production of food, enzymes and antibiotics during space travel. What needs to be done to achieve these visionary goals? In this chapter, we will discuss the opportunities of A. niger as a cell factory spanning from Earth to space. We summarize the current state of the art of A. niger biotechnology on Earth and discuss the general tools and technologies still in need of development to take a new step for mankind: space biotechnology

Best practices in literacy instruction

Libro dirigido a profesores en activo o en formación en el área de la alfabetización. Estructurado en cinco partes presenta los últimos estudios sobre el aprendizaje y la enseñanza de la escritura y la lectura, y los aplica de forma práctica desarrollando diferentes estrategias de ayuda para los alumnos, al mismo tiempo que ofrece recomendaciones para orientar la toma de decisiones institucional en la materia. Trata además aspectos como la evaluación, motivación, integración de diferentes tipos de textos y recursos multimedia, la alfabetización de adolescentes y el trabajo con estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera.SCBiblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín, 5 - 3 planta; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]