Development of molecular tools for monitoring and control of fungi in advanced life support systems
(2006) BCCM Newsletter — n° 19, p. 3 (2006)
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- Abstract
- Rapid, precise, non-environment-dependent identification tools are urgently required for the monitoring of environment and equipment contamination. For this purpose, molecular tools allow one obtain a maximum of information in a very short time about the identity as well as the quantity of microorganisms present on a substrate. In the framework of a MAPa project of the European Space Agency (ESA, 2001-2004), a team of microbiologists developed molecular tools for the detection and identification of bacteria on different materials and surfaces on board spacecrafts. In the second phase of this MAP project, which started in January 2005, and with additional funding from the PRODEX program-Belgiumb, BCCM/MUCL is bringing to the consortium its expertise in filamentous fungi and yeasts identification, characterization, and preservation. BCCM/MUCL is now developing DNA-based methodologies for the rapid and accurate identification and quantification of fungal and yeast species that will allow the handling of fungal strains by the crew to be minimized and the possible morphological variations to be by-passed. Recent technological advances in real-time, fluorescence-based, polymerase chain reactions (PCR) provide such rapid, accurate, and quantitative diagnostic assays for fungal species from a wide variety of samples. The technology of detection, called hybridization probes, is based on the use of two linear probes and two primers complementary to a target sequence to maximize the specificity of the signal. Probes and primers for several Aspergillus and Penicillium species have been successfully developed at BCCM/MUCL.
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Citations
Godet, M., & Munaut, F. (2006). Development of molecular tools for monitoring and control of fungi in advanced life support systems. BCCM Newsletter, 19, 3. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/88133 (Original work published 2006)