Tersicoccus phoenicis: Difference between revisions

''T.Tersicoccus phoenicis'' are only known to exist at two locations on Earth, and were independently found in geographically separated clean room facilities nearly {{convert|2500|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}} apart.<ref name="NASA-20131106" /><ref name="NIH-201307" /> One example was located during a 2007 microbial test swabbing of the [[Phoenix (spacecraft)|''Phoenix'' lander]]{{'s}} clean room floor in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at [[Kennedy Space Center]] ([[Florida]], United States),<ref name="NASA-20131106" /><ref name="dsmz30849" /> while the other was found in the [[Herschel Space Observatory]]'s clean room at [[Guiana Space Centre]] ([[Kourou]], French Guiana).<ref name="dsmz30842" />

These bacteria are non-[[spore]]-forming, [[aerobic organism|aerobic]], [[motility|non-motile]], and [[Gram-positive bacteria|Gram-positive]].<ref name="NIH-201307" /><ref name="techbrief20120601"/> ItThey isare roughly spherical ([[coccus]]) in shape and measuresmeasure approximately {{convert|0.00004|in|μm|0|disp=flip}} in diameter.<ref name="telegraph20131107"/> This species maintains a coccal [[morphology (biology)|morphology]] throughout their growth; the rod–coccus life cycle typically observed in nearly all ''[[Arthrobacter]]'' species is not present.<ref name="NIH-201307" /> ItThey isare able to survive in an environmentenvironments with few nutrients.<ref name="NASA-20131106" />

Two [[strain (biology)|strains]] of ''T. phoenicis'' are known to exist, one at each discovery site: ''1P05MA^T'' at the American facility and ''KO_PS43'' at the French Guianan facility.<ref name="dsmz30849" /><ref name="dsmz30842" />

Because species like ''T. phoenicis'' are hardy enough to survive the [[sterilization (microbiology)|sterilization]] measures used in spacecraft clean rooms, scientists study them and index their genetic material so that if a potential [[extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] bacterium were returned to Earth aboard a spacecraft, it could be compared to the index and ruled out as something that may have been originally launched with the spacecraft. Additionally, by examining the characteristics of resistant microbes such as ''T. phoenicis'', scientists may be able to develop improved sterilization methods.<ref name="NASA-20131106" /><ref name="techbrief20120601"/><ref name="cnet20131107" /> This is necessary to [[planetary protection|prevent the contamination]] of other celestial bodies by organisms aboard visiting spacecraft.,<ref name="cnet20131107" /> which may have already occurred with the [[Curiosity (rover)|''Curiosity'' rover]] on [[Mars]].<ref name="sciamer20111201"/><ref name="NAT-20140519"/>

{{reflistReflist|30em| |refs=

<ref name="NASA-20131106">{{cite news |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-319 |title=Rare New Microbe Found in Two Distant Clean Rooms |work=[[NASA]].gov |first=Guy |last=Webster |date=November 6, 2013 |accessdateaccess-date=November 6, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="NIH-201307">{{cite journal |title=Description of ''Tersicoccus phoenicis'' gen. nov., sp. nov. isolated from spacecraft assembly clean room environments |journal=International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology |first1=Parag |last1=Vaishampayan |first2=Christine |last2=Moissl-Eichinger |first3=Rüdiger |last3=Pukall |first4=Peter |last4=Schumann |first5=Cathrin |last5=Spröer |first6=Angela |last6=Augustus |first7=Anne |last7=Hayden Roberts |first8=Greg |last8=Namba |first9=Jessica |last9=Cisneros |first10=Tina |last10=Salmassi |first11=Kasthuri |last11=Venkateswaran |display-authors=95 |volume=63 |issue=Pt 7 |pages=2463-24712463–2471 |date=July 2013 |pmid=23223813 |doi=10.1099/ijs.0.047134-0}}</ref>

<ref name="telegraph20131107dsmz30842">{{cite newsweb |url=http://www.telegraphdsmz.co.ukde/sciencecatalogues/science-newsdetails/10432816culture/NewDSM-life-found-in-Nasas-spacecraft-clean-rooms30842.html |title=NewDetails: life found in Nasa's spacecraft clean roomsDSM-30842 |workpublisher=[[TheLeibniz DailyInstitut Telegraph]]DSMZ |access-date=November 7, 2013 |accessdate=November 10, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="cnet20131107techbrief20120601">{{cite news |url=http://newswww.cnettechbriefs.com/8301-17938_105-57611307-1component/new-species-of-microbe-thrives-in-spacecraft-clean-roomscontent/article/13890 |title=NewHardy speciesBacterium ofIsolated microbeFrom thrivesTwo inGeographically spacecraftDistinct cleanSpacecraft roomsAssembly Cleanroom Facilities |work=CNET.comNASA Tech Briefs |firstfirst1=AmandaParag |lastlast1=KooserVaishampayan |first2=Kasthuri |last2=Venkateswaran |first3=Petra |last3=Schwendner |first4=Christine |last4=Moissl-Eichinger |date=NovemberJune 71, 20132012 |accessdateaccess-date=November 10, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="dsmz30842cnet20131107">{{cite webnews |url=http://wwwnews.dsmzcnet.decom/catalogues/details/culture8301-17938_105-57611307-1/DSMnew-30842.htmlspecies-of-microbe-thrives-in-spacecraft-clean-rooms/ |title=Details:New DSM-30842species of microbe thrives in spacecraft clean rooms |publisherwork=LeibnizCNET.com Institut|first=Amanda DSMZ|last=Kooser |accessdatedate=November 7, 2013 |access-date=November 10, 2013}}</ref>

* [httphttps://wwwbacdive.ncbidsmz.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browserde/wwwtaxindex.cgiphp?idsite=554083search&rd=23112 ''T. phoenicis'' type strain] at the [[National Center for Biotechnology InformationBacDive|Bac''Dive'']]

[[Category:MicrococcineaeMicrococcaceae]]