The Effect of Microgravity on Chryseobacterium Aquaticum Growth

The Effect of Microgravity on Chryseobacterium Aquaticum Growth

Student ScientistsCo-Principal Investigators: Josh Choi, Greg Nelson, Sophia Novacic and Ryan Olsen

Background InformationChryseobacterium Aquaticum is a gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore forming rod. It produces a protease that has a broad spectrum of antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi. It also exhibited other plant growth promoting traits that could make it advantageous for agricultural applications on Earth and beyond. Therefore, Chryseobacterium Aquaticum has the ability to act both as an anti-fungal protection and a fertilizer for plants.

HypothesisIf Chryseobacterium Aquaticum is

introduced to a microgravity environment, then it will grow at a faster rate.

ProcedureThree identical vials were filled with

equal amounts of Chryseobacterium Aquaticum, nutrient agar, and formalin. The first vial was designated to go to space. The second one was to stay on Earth. The third was the control.

In SpaceThe nutrient agar and the formalin in

the Space and Earth vials were released at the same time.

On EarthTo isolate the factor of microgravity

on the rate of Chryseobacterium Aquaticum growth, the Earth vial was treated to simulate the extraneous factors put upon the space vial to eliminate inaccurate data. For example, the Earth vial was shaken up to simulate the G-forces the space vial experienced on the flight.

TestingOnce the space vial was returned to

Earth, it was opened and the substance was removed from the vial through pipettes. The same was done to the Earth vial. A spectrometer was used to determine the masses of the substances so they could be compared.

ResultsThe spectrometer showed that

Chryseobacterium Aquaticum not only survived in space, but grew better.

Final Mass DataControl: 25.6104 gramsEarth: 25.4061 gramsSpace: 25.4737 grams

AcknowledgmentsPartner Institutions:Howard County Public School SystemMaryland Space Grant ConsortiumMdBio FoundationJ. Craig Venter Institute

SSEP Community Program Co-Directors:Mary WellerSecondary Science Coordinator, Howard County Public School [email protected]

Sharon KramerBCMS and Technology Education Instructional Facilitator, Howard County Public School [email protected]