Researchers from the USA uncovered singular traits in the evolution of bacteria and viruses in space. The outcomes of their study, conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS), were printed on January 13th in the journal PLoS Biology.
The experiment commenced in February 2020, when samples of Escherichia coli and T7 bacteriophages were transported to the ISS. One set of microbes was cultivated for 1–4 hours, another—for three weeks. This made it possible to examine how the space environment affects their interplay and adjustment.
Data analysis demonstrated that the nature of the connection between bacteria and viruses shifts in space. For instance, infectious processes slow down, and the microbes and viruses undergo developmental alterations unlike those on Earth.
During the initial hours of being in space, the bacterial count declined, even without viral assault. Subsequently, the E. coli quantity recovered, but mutations not typical for Earth were detected in the specimens.
The bacteriophages that developed in space became more potent at eliminating both standard and resistant strains of E. coli. The investigators plan to keep investigating these processes on the ISS.
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