Fuligo septica Spores Onboard a Stratospheric NASA Balloon and Its Complete In Vitro Life Cycle.

The aim of this study was to demonstrate for the first time Fuligo septica spore viability in the stratosphere through spore germination and its complete life cycle. These protozoan spores were flown by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) flight 667NT, launched from its base in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. F. septica spores were exposed to stratospheric conditions on board the NASA/CSBF 667 balloon flight for 9 h. The spores obtained after the flight and those from the control box that stayed at ground maintained the same size and morphology, as will be shown in this work. The spores retained viability, and all life cycle stages were obtained by in vitro culture. Moreover, some life cycle events were observed for the first time in F. septica.