How history was made using a device that can fit in the palm of your hand
Orange County, CA - August 31st 2016 - This past weekend, microbiologist turned NASA astronaut, Kate Rubins became the first person to successfully sequence DNA in microgravity aboard the International Space Station (ISS). “It is very exciting to be with you guys together at the dawn of genomics biology and systems biology in space." Kate said to her ground team following the success. This crucial advancement will allow astronauts to sequence DNA in real time on the space station compared to sending samples back to Earth, which can take months.
Sequencing DNA in space gives astronauts the ability to diagnose illness, monitor their health, identify different microbes living on the ISS, and access their threat level to those onboard. NASA has also voiced that this method could, "potentially help detect DNA-based life elsewhere in the solar system."
The DNA was sequenced using the commercially available, miniaturized, USB-powered sequencer called the MinION. Created by Oxford Nanopore Technologies, the MinION is just 9.5cm long and weighs 120g; a fraction of the size of those currently used in labs. The sequencer applies voltage to nanopores in a synthetic membrane, submerged in liquid. This allows ions to flow through the pores, creating an electrical current that varies depending on which bases of DNA flow through the structure.
While Rubins sequenced samples onboard the ISS, researchers on the ground simultaneously sequenced identical samples to observe if the environment had any effects on the results. The microgravity environment made sequencing difficult due to air bubbles in the fluid. With the air blocking the ions, the current consequentially drops. In Earth’s gravity, bubbles would simply float to the top of the membrane, however in space the movement of ions changes causing the nanopores inside the MinION to be blocked, skewing results.
Sarah Castro-Wallace, project manager for the experiment has said the innovation allows officials on the ground to take the best course of action dependent on the risk. She adds that the station can be, “[resupplied] with disinfectants and antibiotics now, but once crews move beyond the station's low Earth orbit, [the team] needs to know when to save [or use] precious resources."