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Multi-drug resistant bacteria found on International Space Station mutate to become functionally distinct
Principal Investigator Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory led a team that studied 13 strains of the bacterial species Enterobacter bugandensis that were isolated from the International Space Station (ISS). E. bugandensis is a bacterium notorious for being multi-drug resistant.
Study findings indicate that under stress, the ISS isolated strains were mutated and became genetically and functionally distinct compared to their Earth counterparts. The strains were able to viably persist in the ISS over time in significant abundances. E. bugandensis coexisted with multiple other microorganisms, and in some cases could have helped those organisms survive.
The research is published in the journal Microbiome.
Closed human-built environments, such as the ISS, are unique areas that provide an extreme environment subject to microgravity, radiation, and elevated carbon dioxide levels. Any microorganisms introduced to these areas must adapt to thrive. By delving into microbial dynamics in extreme environments, this research opens doors to effective preventative measure for astronaut health.
More information: Pratyay Sengupta et al, Genomic, functional, and metabolic enhancements in multidrug-resistant Enterobacter bugandensis facilitating its persistence and succession in the International Space Station, Microbiome (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01777-1
Journal information: Microbiome
Provided by NASA
