Youtube spacelab entry: Let's send B. subtilis into space!

Sara Ma and Dorothy Chen, juniors from Troy High School

Experiment:
Send Bacillus subtilis into space in order to observe the changes in its virulence after being exposed to a microgravity environment. Salmonella grown in such an environment showed increased virulence upon returning to Earth, most likely due to an increased fluid shear that made the salmonella think it was growing in a human gut.

We would like to test whether the same effects apply to this fungicide: Bacillus subtilis. We are curious as to whether the same factors that curbed salmonella's virulence will have the same effect on B. subtilis's effectiveness as a fungicide.

Alternately, we are also interested in the probiotic capabilities of B. subtilis. Increased virulence in probiotics is beneficial. It indicates that the "good" bacteria is more efficient at out-competing "bad" bacteria.

If our hypothesis is supported, more research may be done to develop methods of decreasing the virulence of certain diseases, with the aid of microgravity.

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Extra thanks for those of you that voted for us! We really appreciate it.

We are now regional winners :)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Space
• bacteria
• spacelab
• youtube
• competition
• bacillus
• subtilis
• fungacide
• virulence
• salmonella
• science
• experiment
• troy
• high
• school
• biology
• Contest
• Entry

[TheYummyQuestion]

hey dorothy! :D

[dchen027]

@TheYummyQuestion Hey! lol wait do I know you?

[Lushhdog11]

This is a really cool idea. Inspiring. I am 19, going to school for Chemistry, hopefully I'll be able to do what I want which is R&D.

[punkvijay224]

simple and elegant!

[nocureforcrazy]

Great idea!!!! I just one comment. Keep in mind experiments are broadcast live on Youtube. How will fungicides in test tubes change visually over the course of the experiment?

[dchen027]

@elrynx2 Thanks so much for taking your time to comment!! I have no clue what I'm going to major in, but I love math and science, especially biochemistry. With all the knowledge I'll learn in the future, I might change my mind. Who knows? :)

--Sara

[dchen027]

@elrynx2 Thank YOU!! :) Personally, I'm not quite sure what I want to major in yet, but I am really interested in science, especially biology and chemistry, so probably something related to that.

[elrynx2]

@dchen027

Thank you so much :) Brilliant and thorough answer. It makes me proud to see kids my age do things I couldn't or that I have not been curious enough to do with regards to science. I voted for you :D What is your (or both of your) intended college majors?

[dchen027]

may make it*

[dchen027]

@elrynx2 We think that they may be involved in inhibiting the hfq protein, a regulatory protein that increases bacterial virulence. Phosphates are essential in cell function, so we think that when the cell is phosphate deprived, it tries to stay alive by activating its stressed induced genes that cause virulence. Thus, the presence of phosphates makes it unnecessary for the cell to become virulent.

[elrynx2]

Can you explain more about your research about phosphate ion being an inhibitor?

[LosAngelesFresh1]

send AIDS to space and bring it back

[FelipeN0]

nice one

[GCRScienceSisters]

Great idea!

[dchen027]

@milkshakesvideos haha not unless you're a fungus!

[milkshakesvideos]

wait if we bring it back, will it kill us all? Nice idea. I'll be in my apocalypse fortress if u need me

[blablabliam]

Great idea, don't give up.