Desiccated Cyanobacteria Serve As Efficient Plasmid DNA Carriers in Space Flight

Effective transport of biological systems as cargo during
space
travel is a critical requirement to use synthetic biology and biomanufacturing
in outer space. Bioproduction using microbes will drive the extent
to which many human needs can be met in environments with limited
resources. Vast repositories of biological parts and strains are available
to meet this need, but their on-site availability requires effective
transport. Here, we explore an approach that allows DNA plasmids,
ubiquitous synthetic biology parts, to be safely transported to the
International Space Station and back to the Kennedy Space Center without
low-temperature or cryogenic stowage. Our approach relied on the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme PC73102, which is naturally tolerant
to prolonged desiccation. Desiccated N. punctiforme was able to carry the non-native pSCR119 plasmid as intracellular
cargo safely to space and back. Upon return to the laboratory, the
extracted plasmid showed no DNA damage or additional mutations and
could be used as intended to transform the model synbio host Escherichia coli to bestow kanamycin resistance. This proof-of-concept
study provides the foundation for a ruggedized transport host for
DNA to environments where there is a need to reduce equipment and
infrastructure for biological parts stowage and storage.