Space environmental tolerance of a terrestrial cyanobacterium, Nostoc sp. HK-01

Terrestrial cyanobacteria can be utilized for material circulation as a bio-fertilizer for a manned Mars mission, because of their photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation abilities and drought tolerance. Dried colonies of a terrestrial cyanobacterium, Nostoc sp. HK-01, have high tolerances to vacuum, UV, γ-ray, heavy particle beams and dry heat (Kimura et al., 44th ICES, 2014). Nostoc sp. HK-01 would be able to survive under the space environment, and would be transported to Mars easily. Nostoc sp. HK-01 has several different type of cells in their life cycle. Akinete (dormant cell) is the cell type which has a tolerance to dry heat in Nostoc sp. HK-01 (Kimura et al., Biol. Sci. Space, 2015). Some active substance would be exist in the akinete. Here, we will show a candidate active substance related to dry heat tolerance in Nostoc sp. HK-01.