Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41571645›Full record

ArticleNPJ microgravity2026

Microgravity-induced constraints on melanin bioproduction: investigating E. coli metabolic responses aboard the international space station.

Tiffany M Hennessa, Eric S VanArsdale, Dagmar Leary, Jiseon Yang, Richard R Davis, Jennifer Barrila, Zachary Schultzhaus, Jillian Romsdahl, Aaron D Smith, Amanda N Scholes and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in NPJ microgravity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Tiffany M HennessaCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Eric S VanArsdaleCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Dagmar LearyCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Jiseon YangBiodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
Richard R DavisBiodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
Jennifer BarrilaBiodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
Zachary SchultzhausCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Jillian RomsdahlCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Aaron D SmithCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Amanda N ScholesCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Judson HerveyCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Jaimee R ComptonCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA.
Christopher J KatilieNova Research Inc, Alexandria, VA, USA.
Cheryl A NickersonBiodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
Zheng WangCenter for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA. zheng.wang.civ@us.navy.mil.

Funding

Office of Naval Research 991X62Office of the Under Secretary of Defense 992C97
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Space biomanufacturing using engineered microbes offers a sustainable approach for producing biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, and essential metabolites, critical for long-duration space missions. However, microgravity-induced physiological changes can alter microbial metabolism and biosynthetic efficiency. This study investigated the effects of microgravity on melanin biosynthesis in non-motile Escherichia coli aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Despite expressing functional tyrosinase, ISS-grown E. coli exhibited significantly lower melanin production than ground controls. Differential pulse voltammetry revealed high extracellular tyrosine in ISS samples, indicating inefficient substrate catalysis. Low Shear Modeled Microgravity (LSMMG) experiments in the Rotating Wall Vessel bioreactor confirmed reduced melanin production and bacterial viability. Proteomic profiling identified increased expression of membrane, transport, and stress-related proteins, while metabolomic analysis showed elevated trehalose and decreased glutathione, indicating oxidative stress and perturbed redox homeostasis. These findings highlight the impact of microgravity on microbial metabolism and provide insights for optimizing microbial biomanufacturing in extraterrestrial environments.

Identifiers

PMID41571645
PMCPMC12913979

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.