Unleashing the Power of Melanin in Space for Next-Gen Biomaterials

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), November 3, 2023 – Exploring the mysteries of the natural pigment melanin in the unique microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. environment of the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) could lead to groundbreaking advances in biomaterial production on Earth and beyond. An experiment from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory will study microbes in space to try to uncover new melanin variants for applications ranging from radiation-resistant protective coatings for spacecraft and space suits to improved drug delivery and stability. The investigation, sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory® and launching on SpaceX’s 29th Commercial Resupply Services mission(Abbreviation: CRS mission) A CRS mission is a cargo resupply mission contracted by NASA to deliver supplies and research to the International Space Station on commercial spacecraft as part of the CRS contract with three commercial companies. As part of CRS missions, experiments currently return to Earth on SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that splash down in the ocean., aims to lay the foundation for the in-space production of melanin biomaterials.

Melanin is a natural pigment found in various species on Earth, from humans to fungi. It is renewable, biodegradable, and can replace toxic and unsustainable materials currently used in several applications. Melanin is known for its ability to protect against harmful environmental factors such as radiation and chemicals. Melanin has received renewed interest in investigating its use as a protective material for space applications following the discovery that fungi at the site of the famous Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster produce copious amounts of melanin as a protective mechanism. However, the impact of microgravity and cosmic radiation on microbes’ production of melanin still has many open questions.

“Melanin is a fascinating pigment with enormous potential for a wide range of applications,” said Zheng Wang, a U.S. Naval Research Laboratory biologist leading the project. “By studying melanized microbes in space, we hope to unlock gene expressions that are impossible to investigate on Earth and reveal new types of melanin and potentially even other novel biomaterials.”

The project will shed light on the influence of space conditions on melanin production in microbial organisms. Microgravity may alter the microbes’ molecular processes by decreasing the settling of small particles or altering heat movement.  This may result in the production of new melanin variants possessing previously undiscovered characteristics in terms of their physical and chemical behavior. Melanin is a complex and diverse pigment, and its properties can vary depending on factors such as its source, synthesis method, and environmental conditions.

Production in the space environment may even lead to “more perfect” melanin structures. This could facilitate research into melanin’s potential and help scientists discover new and improved uses for the pigment on Earth and in space.

By cultivating melanin-producing microbes in a bioreactor on the space station, the research team will investigate melanin’s role in microbial adaptation to the space environment. Microbial strains that lack protective melanin will also be cultivated on station to compare with the melanin-producing strains. This will allow the team to search for novel protection mechanisms provided by melanin. Once the microbial samples are returned to Earth, the team will conduct DNA, RNA, and metabolite analyses to identify any changes in the genome, gene expression, and metabolism induced by spaceflight. The researchers will also compare the melanin produced in space versus melanin produced on Earth to look for differences in structure and properties.

This project is part of a broader research initiative by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory to one day produce melanin biomaterials in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles., on the Moon, and even on Mars. Wang said he hopes the insights gained from this study will pave the way for creating materials that can withstand the harsh space environment and revolutionize the development of biomaterials in space.

“We’re excited to discover whether microbes can produce melanin in large quantities in low Earth orbit. If it works, we can eventually build a facility for their mass production in space,” he said. “We hope this work will not only inform the production of biomaterials but also contribute to the development of antibiotics or even growing food in space—that’s the dream.”

The mission is targeted for launch from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than November 5 at 10:01 p.m. EST. This mission will include more than 15 ISS National Lab-sponsored payloads. To learn more about all ISS National Lab-sponsored research on this mission, please visit our launch page.

Download a high-resolution for this release: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Melanin Research

Media Contact:       
Patrick O’Neill
904-806-0035
PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org

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About the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory: The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Lab allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™(Abbreviation: CASIS™) The nonprofit organization that manages the ISS National Lab, which receives at least 50 percent of the U.S. research allocation on the International Space Station to facilitate research that benefits humanity (NASA manages the other 50% and focuses on research for space exploration purposes).) manages the ISS National Laboratory®, under Cooperative AgreementA cooperative agreement is Federal assistance that establishes a relationship between the U.S. Government and a recipient in which the principal purpose of the relationship is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation.  Since 2011, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™) has managed the National Laboratory® through a Cooperative Agreement with NASA. with NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit issnationallab.org.

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