Melanins are ancient biological pigments found in all kingdoms of life. In fungi, their role in
microbial pathogenesis is well established; however, these complex biomolecules also …

The species is one of the basic units of biological classification. Both species concepts and
recognition are essential topics in taxonomic studies and other biological research. In the …

Abstract Background The International Space Station (ISS) is a closed system inhabited by
microorganisms originating from life support systems, cargo, and crew that are exposed to …

Abstract BIOMEX (BIOlogy and Mars EXperiment) is an ESA/Roscosmos space exposure
experiment housed within the exposure facility EXPOSE-R2 outside the Zvezda module on …

The hypothesis called “panspermia” proposes an interplanetary transfer of life. Experiments
have exposed extremophilic organisms to outer space to test microbe survivability and the …

In an era of rapid climate change and expansion of desertification, the extremely harsh
conditions of drylands are a true challenge for microbial life. Under drought conditions …

A wide sampling for isolating highly destructive and extremotolerant black fungi was
performed from Italian monuments in selected historical sites which include the “Cortile della …

Extremophiles are organisms able to thrive in extreme environmental conditions.
Microorganisms with the ability to survive high doses of radiation are known as …

Identifying species involved in biodeterioration processes is helpful, however further effort is
needed to assess their ecological requirements and actual activity. Black fungi (BF) …

There are still many challenges to overcome for human space exploration beyond low Earth
orbit (LEO)(eg, to the Moon) and for long-term missions (eg, to Mars). One of the biggest …