Engineering topics

Foster, B. G.

Publications and source records attributed to Foster, B. G..

4 records

NASA NTRS1974

Aeromonas proteolyrica bacteria in aerospace environments

Preflight studies on Aeromonas proteolytica are reported to investigate the possibility of genetic alterations resulting in increased proteolysis in spacecraft environments. This organism may be present on human tissue and could pose medical problems if its endopeptidase and a hemolysin were to be produced in ususually high quantities or altered in such a way as to be more effective in their activities. Considered are: (1) Development of a nutrative holding medium for suspension of organisms; (2) the establishment of baseline information for the standardization of the assay for endopeptidase levels and hemolytic titers; (3) formulation of a method by which intracutaneous hemorrhage could be quantitated in guinea pig tissue; and (4) the responses of these organisms to parameters of spaceflight and experimentation.

Foster, B. G.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Effect of solar irradiation on extracellular enzymes of Aeromonas proteolytica

The bacterium Aeromonas proteolytica was selected for studying the effects of solar irradiation on extracellular enzymes because it produces an endopeptidase that is capable of degrading proteins and a hemolysin that is active in lysing human erythrocytes. Possible alterations in the rate of enzyme production in response to the test conditions are currently underway and are not available for this preliminary report. Completed viability studies are indicative that little difference exists among the survival curves derived for cells exposed to various components of ultraviolet irradiation in space.

Foster, B. G.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Microbial response to space environment, part B

The performance of the microbial response to space environment experiment is considered excellent by all investigators. For most microbial systems, only preliminary survival data are available at this time. None of the available data indicate space flight-mediated changes in cell viability or recovery. One quite important observation has been made at this early date, however. The eggs produced after mice had been infected with N. dubius larvae demonstrated a significant decrease in hatchability when compared to identical ground controls. Except for the fact that the Apollo 16 flight larvae had been on board the command module, treatment of the flown larvae and ground control larvae was the same; neither had been exposed to UV irradiation. The significance and implications of this finding are currently being studied.

Taylor, G. R.↗

NASA NTRS1971

The effects of spacecraft environments on some hydrolytic enzyme patterns in bacteria

The effects of space flight on the production and characteristics of proteolytic enzymes are studied for a number of bacterial species isolated from crew members and spacecraft. Enzymatic make-up and cultural characteristics of bacteria isolated from spacecraft crew members are determined. The organism Aeromonas proteolytica and the proteolytic enzymes which it produces are used as models for future spacecraft experiments.

Prescott, J. M.↗