Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Biotechnology”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Engineered Methylobacterium extorquens grows well on methoxylated aromatics due to its formaldehyde metabolism and stress response

ABSTRACT Lignin is a vast yet underutilized source of renewable energy. The microbial valorization of lignin is challenging due to the toxicity of its degradation intermediates, particularly formaldehyde. In this study, we engineeredMethylobacterium extorquensPA1 to metabolize lignin-derived methoxylated aromatics, vanillate (VA) and protocatechuate (PCA), by introducing thevanandpcagene clusters. Compared toPseudomonas putida,M. extorquensPA1 exhibited better formaldehyde detoxification, enabling robust growth on VA without accumulation of formaldehyde. Genetic analyses confirmed that formaldehyde oxidation and stress response systems, rather than C 1 assimilation, were important for VA metabolism. Additionally, VA and PCA were found to disrupt membrane potential, contributing to their inherent toxicity. Our findings establishM. extorquensPA1 as a promising chassis for lignin valorization and provide a framework for engineering formaldehyde-resistant microbial platforms. IMPORTANCE In developing biotechnological solutions for a circular economy, it is critical to valorize all parts of renewable resources, such as lignocellulose from vegetative components of agricultural crops and from bioenergy feedstocks. After chemical breakdown, the aromatics arising from lignin present significant challenges for use due to their toxicity. Here, we address one component of this challenge—the methoxy groups that get released as formaldehyde—and show that existing biotechnological platform organisms with strong formaldehyde metabolism, such asMethylobacterium extorquens, can be transformed into highly capable utilizers of methoxylated aromatics.

Microbiology↗
DOE OSTI2023

Transcriptome architecture of the three main lineages of agrobacteria

ABSTRACT Agrobacteria are a diverse, polyphyletic group of prokaryotes with multipartite genomes capable of transferring DNA into the genomes of host plants, making them an essential tool in plant biotechnology. Despite their utility in plant transformation, genome-wide transcriptional regulation is not well understood across the three main lineages of agrobacteria. Transcription start sites (TSSs) are a necessary component of gene expression and regulation. In this study, we used differential RNA-seq and a TSS identification algorithm optimized on manually annotated TSS, then validated with existing TSS to identify thousands of TSS with nucleotide resolution for representatives of each lineage. We extend upon the 356 TSSs previously reported in Agrobacterium fabrum C58 by identifying 1,916 TSSs. In addition, we completed genomes and phenotyping of Rhizobium rhizogenes C16/80 and Allorhizobium vitis T60/94, identifying 2,650 and 2,432 TSSs, respectively. Parameter optimization was crucial for an accurate, high-resolution view of genome and transcriptional dynamics, highlighting the importance of algorithm optimization in genome-wide TSS identification and genomics at large. The optimized algorithm reduced the number of TSSs identified internal and antisense to the coding sequence on average by 90.5% and 91.9%, respectively. Comparison of TSS conservation between orthologs of the three lineages revealed differences in cell cycle regulation of ctrA as well as divergence of transcriptional regulation of chemotaxis-related genes when grown in conditions that simulate the plant environment. These results provide a framework to elucidate the mechanistic basis and evolution of pathology across the three main lineages of agrobacteria. IMPORTANCE Transcription start sites (TSSs) are fundamental for understanding gene expression and regulation. Agrobacteria, a group of prokaryotes with the ability to transfer DNA into the genomes of host plants, are widely used in plant biotechnology. However, the genome-wide transcriptional regulation of agrobacteria is not well understood, especially in less-studied lineages. Differential RNA-seq and an optimized algorithm enabled identification of thousands of TSSs with nucleotide resolution for representatives of each lineage. The results of this study provide a framework for elucidating the mechanistic basis and evolution of pathology across the three main lineages of agrobacteria. The optimized algorithm also highlights the importance of parameter optimization in genome-wide TSS identification and genomics at large.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Metabolic Differentiation of Co-occurring Accumulibacter Clades Revealed through Genome-Resolved Metatranscriptomics

Natural microbial communities consist of closely related taxa that may exhibit phenotypic differences and inhabit distinct niches. However, connecting genetic diversity to ecological properties remains a challenge in microbial ecology due to the lack of pure cultures across the microbial tree of life. “Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis” (Accumulibacter) is a polyphosphate-accumulating organism that contributes to the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) biotechnological process for removing excess phosphorus from wastewater and preventing eutrophication from downstream receiving waters. Distinct Accumulibacter clades often coexist in full-scale wastewater treatment plants and laboratory-scale enrichment bioreactors and have been hypothesized to inhabit distinct ecological niches. However, since individual strains of the Accumulibacter lineage have not been isolated in pure culture to date, these predictions have been made solely on genome-based comparisons and enrichments with varying strain compositions. Here, we used genome-resolved metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to explore the activity of coexisting Accumulibacter strains in an engineered bioreactor environment. We obtained four high-quality genomes of Accumulibacter strains that were present in the bioreactor ecosystem, one of which is a completely contiguous draft genome scaffolded with long Nanopore reads. We identified core and accessory genes to investigate how gene expression patterns differed among the dominating strains. Using this approach, we were able to identify putative pathways and functions that may confer distinct functions to Accumulibacter strains and provide key functional insights into this biotechnologically significant microbial lineage.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Comparison of phage-derived recombinases for genetic manipulation of Pseudomonas species

ABSTRACT Several strains in the Pseudomonas genus are categorized as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Although several of these strains are strong candidates for applications as biofertilizers or biopesticides, genome editing approaches are generally limited and require further development. Editing genomes in PGPR could enable more robust agricultural applications, persistence, and biosafety measures. In this study, we investigate the use of five phage-encoded recombinases to develop a recombineering workflow in three PGPR strains: Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5, Pseudomonas protegens CHA0, and Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Using point mutations in the rpoB gene, we reach maximum recombineering efficiencies of 1.5 × 10 −4 , 3 × 10 −4 , and 5 × 10 −5 , respectively, in these strains using λ-Red Beta recombinase from Escherichia coli . We further examine recombineering efficiencies across these strains as a function of selected mutation, editing template concentration, and phosphorothiolate bond protection. This work validates the use of these tools across several environmentally and biotechnologically relevant strains to expand the possibilities of genetic manipulation in the Pseudomonas genus. IMPORTANCE The Pseudomonas genus contains many members currently being investigated for applications in biodegradation, biopesticides, biocontrol, and synthetic biology. Though several strains have been identified with beneficial properties, chromosomal manipulations to further improve these strains for commercial applications have been limited due to the lack of efficient genetic tools that have been tested across this genus. Here, we test the recombineering efficiencies of five phage-derived recombinases across three biotechnologically relevant Pseudomonas strains: P. putida KT2440, P. protegens Pf-5, and P. protegens CHA0. These results demonstrate a method to generate targeted mutations quickly and efficiently across these strains, ideally introducing a method that can be implemented across the Pseudomonas genus and a strategy that may be applied to develop analogous systems in other nonmodel bacteria.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Data for A Generalized Platform for Artificial Intelligence-powered Autonomous Protein Engineering

Proteins are the molecular machines of life with numerous applications in energy, health, and sustainability. However, engineering proteins with desired functions for practical applications remains slow, expensive, and specialist-dependent. Here we report a generally applicable platform for autonomous enzyme engineering that integrates machine learning and large language models with biofoundry automation to eliminate the need for human intervention, judgement, and domain expertise. Requiring only an input protein sequence and a quantifiable way to measure fitness, this automated platform can be applied to engineer a wide array of proteins. As a proof of concept, we engineer Arabidopsis thaliana halide methyltransferase (AtHMT) for a 90-foldimprovement in substrate preference and 16-fold improvement in ethyl-transferase activity, along with developing a Yersinia mollaretii phytase (YmPhytase) variant with 26-fold improvement in activity at neutral pH. This is accomplished in four rounds over 4 weeks, while requiring construction and characterization of fewer than 500 variants for each enzyme. This platform for autonomous experimentation paves the way for rapid advancements across diverse industries, from medicine and biotechnology to renewable energy and sustainable chemistry.

AI/ML↗
DOE OSTI2025

Data for "Discovery, Characterization, and Application of Chromosomal Integration Sites in the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus islandicus"

Sulfolobus islandicus , an emerging archaeal model organism, offers unique advantages for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology applications owing to its ability to thrive in extreme environments. Although several genetic tools have been established for this organism, the lack of well-characterized chromosomal integration sites has limited its potential as a cellular factory. Here, we systematically identified and characterized 13 artificial CRISPR RNAs targeting eight integration sites in S. islandicus using the CRISPR-COPIES pipeline and a multi-omics-informed computational workflow. We leveraged the endogenous CRISPR-Cas system to integrate the reporter gene lacS and validated heterologous expression through a β-galactosidase assay, revealing significant positional effects. As a proof of concept, we utilized these sites to genetically manipulate lipid ether composition by overexpressing glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) ring synthase B (GrsB). This study expands the genetic toolbox for S. islandicus and advances its potential as a robust platform for archaeal synthetic biology and industrial biotechnology.

AI/ML↗
DOE OSTI2020

Fast growing high-yield wheat and canola for efficient nutrient recycling systems

Wheat and canola are two major rotation crops in the U.S. each offering advantageous traits for the agricultural value chain. Canola, a dicot rotation crop, generally offers high seed oil content. Wheat, a monocot rotation crop, offers more cellulose and other nutritious carbohydrates. As rotation crops, traits such as rapid growth rates, increased harvest yields, and high quality (digestibility, deconstructability) are desirable for food, biorefinery, and also nutrient recycling for crop rotation. Improvement of such traits has been the goal of numerous biotechnology efforts. However, alternative biotechnology techniques are typically constitutive and when applied to commercial crops have resulted in net negative consequences. For example, efforts to improve quality by lowering lignin biosynthesis have resulted in plants with poor structural integrity and diminished mass at maturity. With supports by SBIR programs from DOE and USDA, JBEI/LBNL and AFINGEN previously demonstrated engineered healthy switchgrass and alfalfa which grew with 20-30% more fermentable sugar release, 25% less lignin, faster growth, and more biomass yields than control plants. In this CRADA project supported by NASA STTR program, AFINGEN again collaborated with JBEI/LBNL and transferred the simple tissue-targeting technology from the demonstrated switchgrass and alfalfa to the two major rotation crops wheat and canola for efficient nutrient recycling systems.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Enabling generalized phage therapy to treat secondary infections in COVID-19 (CRADA Final Report)

COVID-19 is a global health threat, with 32 millions infected and more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. alone. A key aspect of COVID-19 deaths is bacterial secondary infections, with Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa identified as some of the major causative pathogens. Phage therapy, i.e., the administration of bacteriophages (viruses infecting these bacterial pathogens) to patients offers a complementary solution to antibiotics with multiple key advantages. Felix Biotechnology’s is developing a high-throughput platform to identify phages that not only kill pathogens, but also drive targeted trade-off of pathogenic phenotypes such as reduced virulence and antibiotic resistance, at a fraction of the time and R&D cost of any competitor. In this project, collaboration with scientists from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory enabled Felix Biotechnology to establish robust analysis pipeline to investigate phage-host interactions in complex samples. These should enable a quick and robust identification of promising phages and key genetic determinants for therapy applications, paving the way towards a streamlined and safe use of phages in the clinic.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Bioenergy Research: Opportunities and Challenges

The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) with automated experimentation, genomics, biosystems design, and bioprocessing technologies is poised to revolutionize scientific investigation and, particularly, bioenergy research. To identify the opportunities and challenges in this emerging research area, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Biological and Environmental Research program (BER) and Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) held a joint virtual workshop on AI/ML for Bioenergy Research (AMBER) on August 23–25, 2022. These interests have since been amplified in a September 2022 Executive Order, “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure U.S. Bioeconomy,” to promote a whole-of government approach to biotechnology development (White House 2022). Approximately 50 scientists with various backgrounds and expertise from academia, industry, and DOE national laboratories met to discuss the opportunities and challenges of AI/ML for bioenergy research. Workshop participants were tasked with assessing the potential for AI/ML and laboratory automation to advance biological understanding and engineering in general. They particularly examined how integrating AI/ML tools with laboratory automation could accelerate biosystems design and optimize biomanufacturing. Discussions included the data and computational infrastructure needed to augment biosystems design applications and the expertise and workforce development efforts urgently required to shift integrated systems toward bioenergy research more broadly. Participants discussed many existing and future applications of AI/ML for biosystems design ranging from enzymes to plants and microbes, microbiomes, and bioprocess development. They also identified three key categories of scientific and technical opportunities and challenges: high-quality data, AI/ML algorithms, and laboratory automation. Several main takeaways emerged from the workshop: 1. Numerous AI/ML and automated experimentation applications exist for a variety of DOE mission needs in energy and the environment; 2. Exemplary research grand challenges for which AI/ML could provide solutions include: building microbes and microbial communities to specifications, developing closed-loop autonomous design and control for biosystems design, and advancing scale-up and automation; 3. Lack of sufficient high-quality, annotated data hinders the development of AI/ML applications; 4. New and improved AI/ML tools are needed, particularly those meeting the specific needs of the BER and BETO research communities; 5. Trade-offs in performance, cost, and reliability exist between deploying commercially available versus building custom-developed instrumentation and software for automated or autonomous experimentation; translation of manual to automated or autonomous methods is often a nontrivial endeavor; 6. Training a new generation of young scientists who can develop and apply AI/ML tools is needed to solve long-standing scientific challenges in bioenergy research. The integration of AI/ML tools and automated experimentation represents a new data-driven research paradigm complementary to the traditional hypothesis-driven research paradigm. This paradigm accelerates design and optimization of biological systems and processes for a variety of DOE mission needs in energy and the environment. The AMBER workshop broadly explored the potential of this new paradigm for bioenergy research, of particular interest to BER and BETO, and identified key challenges and opportunities that DOE can address in the coming years by leveraging its unique capabilities and resources.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Produced Water DNA Database (PW-DNA): Utilizing KBase to generate an environmental specific curated molecular database

The deep subsurface is estimated to host the majority of Earth’s microbial biomass yet remains one of the most challenging environments to access and study. One common approach to investigate these microbial communities is through the analysis of produced water from subsurface reservoirs, where researchers can assess water and gas chemistry along with molecular (DNA/RNA) sequence data. Advances in high-throughput sequencing have greatly expanded our understanding of these environments and their biotechnological potential. However, further progress requires large-scale, integrative meta-analyses across diverse datasets. To address this need, we developed the Produced Water-DNA (PW-DNA) Database, a curated, publicly available resource that consolidates microbial DNA/RNA sequences, geochemical data, and relevant metadata from in situ hydrocarbon environments such as coal beds, oil reservoirs, and natural gas systems. The PW-DNA database delivers three core benefits to the research community: (1) it improves data sharing by linking environmental microbial datasets with corresponding geochemical parameters, enabling more robust filtering and analysis; (2) it connects with complementary research databases to promote broader dissemination and interoperability; and (3) it supports technological innovation by serving as a resource for identifying microbial trends and exploring genetic potential. While individual studies have highlighted basin-specific microbial communities and functional redundancy in biogeochemical cycling, a comprehensive, system-wide perspective is needed to better understand connectivity and novelty across subsurface ecosystems. By designing the PW-DNA in the KBase platform, we provide a reproducible, visual framework for integrating large-scale genomic and geochemical data, enabling researchers to perform more informed analyses and experimental design. Ultimately, this resource enhances the ability to identify, characterize, and interpret microbial functions across diverse subsurface environments, thereby accelerating discovery in subsurface microbiology and biotechnology.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Genomic Catalog of Stress Response Genes in Anaerobic Fungi for Applications in Bioproduction

Anaerobic fungi are a potential biotechnology platform to produce biomass-degrading enzymes. Unlike model fungi such as yeasts, stress responses that are relevant during bioprocessing have not yet been established for anaerobic fungi. In this work, we characterize both the heat shock and unfolded protein responses of four strains of anaerobic fungi ( Anaeromyces robustus, Caecomyces churrovis, Neocallimastix californiae , and Piromyces finnis ). The inositol-requiring 1 (Ire1) stress sensor, which typically initiates the fungal UPR, was conserved in all four genomes. However, these genomes also encode putative transmembrane kinases with catalytic domains that are similar to the metazoan stress-sensing enzyme PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), although whether they function in the UPR of anaerobic fungi remains unclear. Furthermore, we characterized the global transcriptional responses of Anaeromyces robustus and Neocallimastix californiae to a transient heat shock. Both fungi exhibited the hallmarks of ER stress, including upregulation of genes with functions in protein folding, ER-associated degradation, and intracellular protein trafficking. Relative to other fungi, the genomes of Neocallimastigomycetes contained the greatest gene percentage of HSP20 and HSP70 chaperones, which may serve to stabilize their asparagine-rich genomes. Taken together, these results delineate the unique stress response of anaerobic fungi, which is an important step toward their development as a biotechnology platform to produce enzymes and valuable biomolecules.

Swift, Candice L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Genomic Analysis of Aspergillus Section Terrei Reveals a High Potential in Secondary Metabolite Production and Plant Biomass Degradation

Aspergillus terreus has attracted interest due to its application in industrial biotechnology, particularly for the production of itaconic acid and bioactive secondary metabolites. As related species also seem to possess a prosperous secondary metabolism, they are of high interest for genome mining and exploitation. Here, we present draft genome sequences for six species from Aspergillus section Terrei and one species from Aspergillus section Nidulantes. Whole-genome phylogeny confirmed that section Terrei is monophyletic. Genome analyses identified between 70 and 108 key secondary metabolism genes in each of the genomes of section Terrei, the highest rate found in the genus Aspergillus so far. The respective enzymes fall into 167 distinct families with most of them corresponding to potentially unique compounds or compound families. Moreover, 53% of the families were only found in a single species, which supports the suitability of species from section Terrei for further genome mining. Intriguingly, this analysis, combined with heterologous gene expression and metabolite identification, suggested that species from section Terrei use a strategy for UV protection different to other species from the genus Aspergillus. Section Terrei contains a complete plant polysaccharide degrading potential and an even higher cellulolytic potential than other Aspergilli, possibly facilitating additional applications for these species in biotechnology.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Engineering Terpene Production Pathways in Methylobacterium extorquens AM1

Terpenes are diverse specialized metabolites naturally found within plants and have important roles in inter-species communication, adaptation and interaction with the environment. Their industrial applications span a broad range, including fragrances, flavors, cosmetics, natural colorants to agrochemicals and therapeutics, yet formal chemical synthesis is economically challenging due to structural complexities. Engineering terpene biosynthesis could represent an alternative in microbial biotechnological workhorses, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Escherichi coli, utilizing sugars or complex media as feedstocks. Host species that metabolize renewable and affordable carbon sources may offer unique sustainable biotechnological alternatives. Methylotrophs are bacteria with the capacity to utilize one-carbon feedstocks, such as methanol or formate. They colonize the phyllosphere (above-ground area) of plants, and many accumulate abundant carotenoid pigments. Methylotrophs have the capacity to take up and use a subset of the rare earth elements known as lanthanides. These metals can enhance one-carbon (methylotrophic) metabolism. Here, we investigated whether manipulating the metabolism enables and enhances terpene production. A carotenoid-deficient mutant potentially liberates carbon, which may contribute to bioproduct accumulation. To test this hypothesis, terpene-producing bacterial strains regulated by two distinct promoters were generated. Wildtype Methylobacterium extorquens, ∆Meta1_3665, a methylotrophic mutant lacking the carotenoid pathway, and an E. coli strain were transformed with an exogenous terpene pathway and grown both in the presence and absence of lanthanides. The extraction, and the comparison of analytical profiles, provided evidence that engineered cultured M. extorquens under control of a native, inducible methylotrophic promoter can yield the sesquiterpene patchoulol when supplemented with lanthanide. In contrast, using a moderate-strength constitutive promoter failed to give production. We demonstrated colonization of the phyllosphere with the engineered strains, supporting the future engineering of selected species of the plant microbiome and with promising implications for the synthetic biology of small molecules.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Agrobacterium tumefaciens : A Bacterium Primed for Synthetic Biology

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is an important tool in plant biotechnology due to its natural ability to transfer DNA into the genomes of host plants. Genetic manipulations of A. tumefaciens have yielded considerable advances in increasing transformational efficiency in a number of plant species and cultivars. Moreover, there is overwhelming evidence that modulating the expression of various mediators of A. tumefaciens virulence can lead to more successful plant transformation; thus, the application of synthetic biology to enable targeted engineering of the bacterium may enable new opportunities for advancing plant biotechnology. In this review, we highlight engineering targets in both A. tumefaciens and plant hosts that could be exploited more effectively through precision genetic control to generate high-quality transformation events in a wider range of host plants. We then further discuss the current state of A. tumefaciens and plant engineering with regard to plant transformation and describe how future work may incorporate a rigorous synthetic biology approach to tailor strains of A. tumefaciens used in plant transformation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Observing one-divalent-metal-ion-dependent and histidine-promoted His-Me family I-PpoI nuclease catalysis in crystallo

Metal-ion-dependent nucleases play crucial roles in cellular defense and biotechnological applications. Time-resolved crystallography has resolved catalytic details of metal-ion-dependent DNA hydrolysis and synthesis, uncovering the essential roles of multiple metal ions during catalysis. The histidine-metal (His-Me) superfamily nucleases are renowned for binding one divalent metal ion and requiring a conserved histidine to promote catalysis. Many His-Me family nucleases, including homing endonucleases and Cas9 nuclease, have been adapted for biotechnological and biomedical applications. However, it remains unclear how the single metal ion in His-Me nucleases, together with the histidine, promotes water deprotonation, nucleophilic attack, and phosphodiester bond breakage. By observing DNA hydrolysis in crystallo with His-Me I-PpoI nuclease as a model system, we proved that only one divalent metal ion is required during its catalysis. Moreover, we uncovered several possible deprotonation pathways for the nucleophilic water. Interestingly, binding of the single metal ion and water deprotonation are concerted during catalysis. Our results reveal catalytic details of His-Me nucleases, which is distinct from multi-metal-ion-dependent DNA polymerases and nucleases.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1986

Space bio-technology in housing

Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry data obtained from monitoring atmospheric pollutants in Skylab spurred studies of indoor pollutants in terrestrial buildings. Subsequent studies of techniques for removing the pollutants from space habitats have led to building concepts which achieve the same purpose on earth. The Skylab data indicated that the synthesized organic materials used in many modern buildings, furnishings, personal clothing and aerosols add significant amounts of chemicals to the indoor atmosphere. Lowered circulation and ventilation rates to conserve energy have caused trapping of these substances in buildings. Studies of methods for space modules which will use plants and microbes to absorb airborne and wastewater pollutants have defined biotechnology designs which can be applied to remove pollutants from air and wastewater organically. Plant roots trap pollutants from wastewater and leaves readily absorb air pollutants, as well as improve the overall energy efficiency of buildings. Several designs which incorporate biotechnology to enhance both the aesthetics and efficiency of homes and office buildings are illustrated.

Wolverton, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Development of Bio-GAS systems

Four experiment systems which have fundamental significance in the field of biotechnology are developed for the Get Away Special (GAS). Unique considerations were necessary to develop the systems which carry out biotechnological experiments under GAS's restricted conditions: delicate thermal control, fluid handling and protection from contamination. All experimental processes are controlled by internal sequencers and results of the experiments are recorded as images and numerical data within the systems. The systems are standardized in order to enable repeated use with a variety of experiments by replacement of the experiment modules and modification of experiment sequencing programs.

Takayanagi, M.↗