Open space is a hostile environment, where one of the threats for living organisms is
Harmful Radiation
If we dream to terraform other planets, we need to find efficient ways to mitigate these hazards. Our well-being
depends
on other living organisms, therefore, we must find ways to adapt these organisms to the space environment.
Our team focused on making
Budding yeast resistant
to space radiation
We engineered yeast which produces melanin, and protects itself from both UV and ionizing radiation
To achieve this
We expressed exogenous tyrosinase from Bacillus megaterium. To mitigate potential cytotoxic
effects of melanin
precursors, we also aiming to isolate tyrosinase in viral-like nano compartments and alternatively to attach
tyrosinase
to the outer cell wall. The latter strategy would coat yeast with melanin.
These yeasts could be used in spaceships and even on other planets to produce valuable compounds for humans.
