Mars Regolith Cyanobacteria/Microalga Biofertilizer Panel

Community ID CommunityMech:000309

Ecological State ENGINEERED

Environment Mars regolith (MGS-1) extract culture assay (laboratory culture)
ENVO:01001405

Modeled Environment regolith
ENVO:01000747

A defined four-member panel of photosynthetic microorganisms evaluated for their ability to grow using only martian resources (water and Mars Global Simulant MGS-1 regolith extract) under an Earth-like atmosphere, as candidates to support Mars colonization through oxygen and biomass production. The panel comprises three cyanobacteria — Anabaena cylindrica, Nostoc muscorum (NCBI Taxonomy: Desmonostoc muscorum), and Arthrospira platensis (NCBI Taxonomy: Limnospira platensis) — and the green microalga Chlorella vulgaris. Each species was grown separately in a martian regolith extract culture medium and monitored for 25 days by optical density and fluorometric parameters; Nostoc muscorum grew best, while Arthrospira platensis and Chlorella vulgaris did not thrive on the regolith extract. End-of-life biomass was then tested as a biofertilizing agent for the macrophyte Lemna minor, stimulating plant biomass to levels comparable to standard synthetic medium. The panel is an In-Situ Resource Utilization model for bioregenerative life support on Mars. Members were assayed individually, so the record captures a shared capacity to grow on martian regolith resources rather than measured interspecies interactions.

Taxonomy

Taxon	Ontology ID	Abundance
Anabaena cylindrica	NCBITaxon:1165	N/A
PMID:35865930 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO) "three species of cyanobacteria (Anabaena cylindrica, Nostoc muscorum, and Arthrospira platensis)"
Nostoc muscorum	NCBITaxon:1179	N/A
PMID:35865930 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO) "N. muscorum showed the best growth performance"
Arthrospira platensis	NCBITaxon:118562	N/A
PMID:35865930 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO) "A. platensis and C. vulgaris were not able to thrive on Mars regolith extract"
Chlorella vulgaris	NCBITaxon:3077	N/A
PMID:35865930 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO) "a green microalga (Chlorella vulgaris)"

Ecological Interactions

ℹ️ No detailed ecological interaction data is available for this community.

This record may be a metabolic model or minimal entry containing only taxonomy and external resource links.

Environmental Factors

Factor	Value	Unit
Mars regolith simulant (MGS-1) extract as sole nutrient resource	MGS-1 regolith extract culture medium	N/A
PMID:35865930 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO) "grow using only the resources existing in Mars, i.e., water and Martian regolith stimulant (MGS-1)"
End-of-life biomass biofertilization of Lemna minor	Lemna minor dry-weight stimulation	N/A
PMID:35865930 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO) "possible contribution of end-of-life cyanobacteria/microalga as biofertilizing agents"

Growth Media

MGS-1 Mars Global Simulant aqueous regolith extract (test medium)

Temperature 20 °C

Atmosphere AEROBIC

Preparation notes: Regolith suspended in ultrapure water at 4:1 (v:w), autoclaved 121 C for 1 h, particulates settled at room temperature, centrifuged 4,111 x g at 14 C for 5 min, and the overlying fraction re-autoclaved at 121 C for 30 min. Elemental composition was determined by total X-ray fluorescence; it is not restated here as a component list because the source reports it as a measured spectrum rather than a formulated recipe.

Evidence

PMID:35865930

"Suspensions of the regolith in ultrapure water were prepared following a 4:1 (v:w) ratio, and then autoclaved at 121°C for 1 h. The autoclaved suspension was left for the settling of particulate material at room temperature, and then centrifuged (4,111 × g, 14°C, 5 min) for the final collection of the overlying fraction. This aqueous extract was autoclaved again (121°C, 30 min) to ensure sterilization."

PMID:35865930

"This simulant was used to prepare an aqueous extract serving as the growth medium for cyanobacteria and microalgae"

PMID:35865930

"A Martian regolith extract was produced and used as a culture medium to grow these species. Their growth was assessed during a period of 25 days, using optical density and fluorometric parameters."

PMID:35865930

"The cultures were kept in 100 mL Erlenmeyer vessels with 50 mL of medium in an incubation chamber at 20 ± 2°C with 16-h light:8-h dark photoperiod (7 μmol of photons m–2 s–1; Quantum meter MQ-200, Apogee Instruments, Logan, UT, United States) provided by cool white fluorescent tubes."

Woods Hole MBL synthetic medium (maintenance and control)

Temperature 20 °C

Atmosphere AEROBIC

Preparation notes: Long-term laboratory maintenance medium for Anabaena cylindrica PCC 7122, Nostoc muscorum UTAD_N213 and Chlorella vulgaris. For the experiment all species were held at 17% synthetic medium / 83% ultrapure water, the maximal dilution supporting growth.

Evidence

PMID:35865930

"Cultures are established for many years in our laboratory in Woods Hole MBL synthetic medium ( Nichols, 1973 ) or in Spirulina medium (for the culturing of A. platensis)."

PMID:35865930

"All species were progressively acclimated for more than 6 months to a minimum nutrient supply (17% of synthetic media and 83% of ultrapure water, determined in preliminary trials as the maximal dilution supporting cell growth within the defined experimental period)."

PMID:35865930

Spirulina medium (Arthrospira platensis only)

Temperature 20 °C

Atmosphere AEROBIC

Preparation notes: Used specifically for A. platensis UTEX LB 2340 rather than MBL medium; the record is a panel in which species were cultured separately, so the base medium differs by species and both are recorded rather than collapsed into one.

Evidence

PMID:35865930

"Cultures are established for many years in our laboratory in Woods Hole MBL synthetic medium ( Nichols, 1973 ) or in Spirulina medium (for the culturing of A. platensis)."