Glossary

A bioreactor is a controlled system designed to support biological reactions by providing an optimal environment for the growth of microorganisms, animal cells, plant cells, or enzymes. These systems are widely used in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food production, and environmental engineering.

A Colony-Forming Unit (CFU) is a measurement of viable bacterial or fungal cells in a sample, based on their ability to form distinct colonies on a solid growth medium. Since some bacteria exist in clusters or chains, CFU represents the number of viable cell groups, not individual cells.

Bacterial doubling time, also known as generation time (g), is the time required for a bacterial population to double in number under optimal growth conditions. It is a key parameter in microbiology, influencing bacterial growth curves and infection dynamics.

Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) are a complex mixture of polysaccharides, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids secreted by microorganisms (mainly bacteria and fungi) into their external environment. EPS plays a crucial role in biofilm formation, microbial adhesion, and protection.

ISRU refers to the practice of using local materials found on the Moon, Mars, asteroids, or other celestial bodies to support human and robotic space missions. Instead of launching all supplies from Earth—which is costly and logistically complex—ISRU enables astronauts to "live off the land" by producing critical resources on-site.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) refers to the region of space between approximately 160 km (99 mi) and 2,000 km (1,242 mi) above Earth's surface. It is the closest orbital range to Earth and is where most satellites, the International Space Station (ISS), and many space missions operate.

Life support systems are critical technologies that provide and maintain the essential conditions for human survival in space or on other planetary bodies. These systems regulate the environment inside spacecraft, space habitats, or extraterrestrial outposts to keep astronauts alive, healthy, and functional in environments that are otherwise hostile to life.

Low-shear fluid conditions refer to environments where fluid flows with minimal tangential force, meaning the velocity gradient between adjacent fluid layers is very small. These conditions are commonly found in microgravity, certain biological environments, and specialized industrial processes.

A lysate is a solution containing the contents of lysed (broken open) cells. When cells are lysed, their membranes are disrupted, releasing internal components such as proteins, nucleic acids, and organelles into the surrounding solution.

Example

This is an important term - remember it

3000 rpm if using the VortexGenie with the upright tubes adaptor.

Metagenomics is the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples, allowing scientists to analyze entire communities of microorganisms—such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes—without the need to culture them in a lab. This approach is particularly powerful for understanding complex ecosystems, as it captures the genetic diversity of microbes in their natural habitats, such as soil, oceans, or the human gut.

Nanophase iron (np-Fe⁰) refers to extremely small metallic iron particles, typically less than 100 nanometers in size, found embedded in lunar regolith and other airless planetary surfaces. These particles are not naturally abundant on Earth but are a common byproduct of space weathering processes on the Moon and possibly other bodies like asteroids and Mercury.

A parabolic flight is a type of aeronautical maneuver used to create short periods of microgravity (weightlessness) by flying an aircraft along a parabolic trajectory. This technique is commonly used for astronaut training, scientific research, and testing space technologies in reduced gravity conditions.

Potassium Chloride (KCl): 0.2 grams
Disodium Phosphate (Na₂HPO₄): 1.44 grams
Monopotassium Phosphate (KH₂PO₄): 0.24 grams
Here’s the step-by-step recipe:

Add 8 g of NaCl to a container.
Add 0.2 g of KCl.
Add 1.44 g of Na₂HPO₄.
Add 0.24 g of KH₂PO₄.
Fill with distilled water up to 1 liter.
Adjust the pH to 7.4 if needed.

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is a technique used to amplify specific DNA sequences, generating millions of copies from a small DNA sample through repeated cycles of heating and cooling.

Perchlorates are chemical compounds that contain the perchlorate ion (ClO₄⁻), a chlorine atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms in a tetrahedral structure. They are highly oxidizing salts, commonly formed with metals like sodium, potassium, magnesium, or calcium.

Quantitative PCR (qPCR), also known as real-time PCR, is a molecular biology technique used to amplify and quantify DNA or RNA in real-time. Unlike conventional PCR, which only amplifies DNA, qPCR provides quantitative data by measuring fluorescence emitted during amplification.

RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) is a high-throughput sequencing technique used to analyze the entire transcriptome (all RNA molecules) of a biological sample. It provides insights into gene expression, alternative splicing, transcript isoforms, and non-coding RNA.

Shear stress (τ) is the force per unit area parallel to a surface, causing layers of a material (solid, liquid, or gas) to slide against each other. It is a key concept in fluid dynamics, material science, and biomechanics.

A signaling pathway is a series of molecular interactions within a cell that transmits a signal from outside the cell (or within it) to trigger a specific cellular response. These pathways are essential for processes like growth, metabolism, immune responses, and communication between cells.

The clear liquid that separates from the solids AFTER you centrifuge the sample.

To prepare 1 liter of 1X TAE buffer, you’ll need the following:

Tris Base: 4.84 grams (40 mM)
Acetic Acid: 5.71 milliliters of glacial acetic acid (40 mM)
EDTA (0.5 M, pH 8.0 stock): 2 milliliters (1 mM final concentration)
Here's the step-by-step recipe:

Add 4.84 g of Tris base to a container.
Add 5.71 ml of glacial acetic acid.
Add 2 ml of 0.5 M EDTA (pH 8.0) solution.
Fill with distilled water up to 1 liter.
Mix until fully dissolved and adjust the pH to 8.0 if necessary.

Tris Base: 10.8 grams (89 mM)
Boric Acid: 5.5 grams (89 mM)
EDTA (0.5 M, pH 8.0 stock): 2 milliliters (1 mM final concentration)
Here’s the step-by-step recipe:

Add 10.8 g of Tris base to a container.
Add 5.5 g of boric acid.
Add 2 ml of 0.5 M EDTA (pH 8.0) solution.
Fill with distilled water up to 1 liter.
Mix until all components are fully dissolved.