OpenASAP: An affordable 3D printed atmospheric solids analysis probe (ASAP) mass spectrometry system for direct analysis of solid and liquid samples.

Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe (ASAP) mass spectrometry is a versatile technique allowing direct sampling of solid and liquid samples, but its adoption is limited due to the high cost of commercial ASAP systems. To address this, we present OpenASAP, an open-source ASAP system for mass spectrometers that can be fabricated for $20 or less using 3D-printing. Our design is readily adaptable to instruments from different manufacturers and can be produced with a variety of additive manufacturing techniques on consumer-grade 3D-printers.

Field-Based Planetary Protection Operations for Melt Probes: Validation of Clean Access into the Blood Falls, Antarctica, Englacial Ecosystem.

Subglacial environments on Earth offer important analogs to Ocean World targets in our solar system. These unique microbial ecosystems remain understudied due to the challenges of access through thick glacial ice (tens to hundreds of meters). Additionally, sub-ice collections must be conducted in a clean manner to ensure sample integrity for downstream microbiological and geochemical analyses.

Microbial Transport by a Descending Ice Melting Probe: Implications for Subglacial and Ocean World Exploration.

Ocean Worlds beneath thick ice covers in our solar system, as well as subglacial lakes on Earth, may harbor biological systems. In both cases, thick ice covers (>100 s of meters) present significant barriers to access. Melt probes are emerging as tools for reaching and sampling these realms due to their small logistical footprint, ability to transport payloads, and ease of cleaning in the field.

Genomic and phenotypic characterization of a red-pigmented strain of isolated from an Antarctic microbial mat.

The McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica experience a range of selective pressures, including extreme seasonal variation in temperature, water and nutrient availability, and UV radiation. Microbial mats in this ecosystem harbor dense concentrations of biomass in an otherwise desolate environment. Microbial inhabitants must mitigate these selective pressures specialized enzymes, changes to the cellular envelope, and the production of secondary metabolites, such as pigments and osmoprotectants.

Draft Genome Sequence of sp. Strain BF02_Schw, Isolated from Blood Falls, a Feature Where Subglacial Brine Discharges to the Surface of Taylor Glacier, Antarctica.

We report the sequencing, assembly, and draft genome of sp. strain BF02_Schw. The assembly contains 5,304,243 bp, with a GC content of 41.

Microbial diversity of an Antarctic subglacial community and high-resolution replicate sampling inform hydrological connectivity in a polar desert.

Antarctic subglacial environments host microbial ecosystems and are proving to be geochemically and biologically diverse. The Taylor Glacier, Antarctica, periodically expels iron-rich brine through a conduit sourced from a deep subglacial aquifer, creating a dramatic red surface feature known as Blood Falls. We used Illumina MiSeq sequencing to describe the core microbiome of this subglacial brine and identified previously undetected but abundant groups including the candidate bacterial phylum Atribacteria and archaeal phylum Pacearchaeota.

Genomic and physiological characterization and description of Marinobacter gelidimuriae sp. nov., a psychrophilic, moderate halophile from Blood Falls, an antarctic subglacial brine.

Antarctic subice environments are diverse, underexplored microbial habitats. Here, we describe the ecophysiology and annotated genome of a Marinobacter strain isolated from a cold, saline, iron-rich subglacial outflow of the Taylor Glacier, Antarctica. This strain (BF04_CF4) grows fastest at neutral pH (range 6-10), is psychrophilic (range: 0°C-20°C), moderately halophilic (range: 0.

Physiological Ecology of Microorganisms in Subglacial Lake Whillans.

Subglacial microbial habitats are widespread in glaciated regions of our planet. Some of these environments have been isolated from the atmosphere and from sunlight for many thousands of years. Consequently, ecosystem processes must rely on energy gained from the oxidation of inorganic substrates or detrital organic matter.

Subglacial Lake Whillans microbial biogeochemistry: a synthesis of current knowledge.

Liquid water occurs below glaciers and ice sheets globally, enabling the existence of an array of aquatic microbial ecosystems. In Antarctica, large subglacial lakes are present beneath hundreds to thousands of metres of ice, and scientific interest in exploring these environments has escalated over the past decade. After years of planning, the first team of scientists and engineers cleanly accessed and retrieved pristine samples from a West Antarctic subglacial lake ecosystem in January 2013.

Microbial ecology of the cryosphere: sea ice and glacial habitats.

The Earth's cryosphere comprises those regions that are cold enough for water to turn into ice. Recent findings show that the icy realms of polar oceans, glaciers and ice sheets are inhabited by microorganisms of all three domains of life, and that temperatures below 0 °C are an integral force in the diversification of microbial life. Cold-adapted microorganisms maintain key ecological functions in icy habitats: where sunlight penetrates the ice, photoautotrophy is the basis for complex food webs, whereas in dark subglacial habitats, chemoautotrophy reigns.

Deep groundwater and potential subsurface habitats beneath an Antarctic dry valley.

The occurrence of groundwater in Antarctica, particularly in the ice-free regions and along the coastal margins is poorly understood. Here we use an airborne transient electromagnetic (AEM) sensor to produce extensive imagery of resistivity beneath Taylor Valley. Regional-scale zones of low subsurface resistivity were detected that are inconsistent with the high resistivity of glacier ice or dry permafrost in this region.

Microbial sulfur transformations in sediments from Subglacial Lake Whillans.

Diverse microbial assemblages inhabit subglacial aquatic environments. While few of these environments have been sampled, data reveal that subglacial organisms gain energy for growth from reduced minerals containing nitrogen, iron, and sulfur. Here we investigate the role of microbially mediated sulfur transformations in sediments from Subglacial Lake Whillans (SLW), Antarctica, by examining key genes involved in dissimilatory sulfur oxidation and reduction.

A new analysis of Mars "Special Regions": findings of the second MEPAG Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2).

A committee of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) has reviewed and updated the description of Special Regions on Mars as places where terrestrial organisms might replicate (per the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy). This review and update was conducted by an international team (SR-SAG2) drawn from both the biological science and Mars exploration communities, focused on understanding when and where Special Regions could occur. The study applied recently available data about martian environments and about terrestrial organisms, building on a previous analysis of Mars Special Regions (2006) undertaken by a similar team.

A microbial ecosystem beneath the West Antarctic ice sheet.

Liquid water has been known to occur beneath the Antarctic ice sheet for more than 40 years, but only recently have these subglacial aqueous environments been recognized as microbial ecosystems that may influence biogeochemical transformations on a global scale. Here we present the first geomicrobiological description of water and surficial sediments obtained from direct sampling of a subglacial Antarctic lake. Subglacial Lake Whillans (SLW) lies beneath approximately 800 m of ice on the lower portion of the Whillans Ice Stream (WIS) in West Antarctica and is part of an extensive and evolving subglacial drainage network.

Structural optical design of the complex multi-group zoom systems by means of matrix optics.

New matrix formulas for structural optical design have been obtained from analysis of derivative of the system matrix in respect to construction parameters and movements of components. Functional parameters of the optical system become elements of the matrix, presenting working conditions of the optical system. Developed methodology of structural design multi-group zoom systems with unlimited number of components and with mechanical-electronic compensation is presented.

A contemporary microbially maintained subglacial ferrous "ocean".

An active microbial assemblage cycles sulfur in a sulfate-rich, ancient marine brine beneath Taylor Glacier, an outlet glacier of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, with Fe(III) serving as the terminal electron acceptor. Isotopic measurements of sulfate, water, carbonate, and ferrous iron and functional gene analyses of adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase imply that a microbial consortium facilitates a catalytic sulfur cycle. These metabolic pathways result from a limited organic carbon supply because of the absence of contemporary photosynthesis, yielding a subglacial ferrous brine that is anoxic but not sulfidic.

Bacterial diversity associated with Blood Falls, a subglacial outflow from the Taylor Glacier, Antarctica.

Blood Falls is the surface manifestation of brine released from below the Taylor Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Geochemical analyses of Blood Falls show that this brine is of a marine origin. The discovery that 74% of clones and isolates from Blood Falls share high 16S rRNA gene sequence homology with phylotypes from marine systems supports this contention.

Acquisition of iron by enterococci: some properties and role of assimilating ferric iron reductases.

Ferric iron reductases activities have been occurred in 91% of investigated enterococci strains. Maximum activity occurred with coenzyme NADH as the reductant and the presence of cofactor FMN was necessary. Mg(II) ions has not stimulated reductases activity.

Iron supply of enterococci by 2-oxoacids and hydroxyacids.

Only 9 (11.2%) out of 80 studied bacterial strains were able to utilize iron saturated 2-oxo acids and hydroxyacids and grow on o-phenantroline containing media. These strains belonged to Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium species and were isolated from clinical material.

[Assimilatory ferric reductases in enterococci].

Enterococci produced assimilatory ferric reductases which are surface-associated enzymes. This is the first report of the intracellular enzymic reduction of iron by enterococci. A correlation between ferric reductases activity and species affiliation and origin of strains was found.

Receptors for endogenous and heterogenous hydroxamate siderophores in Staphylococcus aureus B 471.

In Staphylococcus aureus B47 grown in iron-restricted medium, six new, iron-regulated proteins occurred in cytoplasmic membrane. Protein of 14kDa has bound two complexes of iron: Fe(III)-staphylobactin and Fe(III)-acinetoferrin. Complexes of Fe(llI)-ferrichrome and Fe(III)-rhodotorulic acid were not bound to any of new membrane protein.

[Citric acid as a siderophore of enterococci?].

In the pool of 70 enterococcal strains of the genus Enterococcus 61.4% released citrate into the medium. This metabolite has occurred more frequently in E.

[Siderophores and hemolysins in iron aquisition by Acinetobacter genus].

In 60 strains of Acinetobacter genus isolated from clinical material belonging to species A. baumannii, A. haemolyticus, A.