Chennai: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are studying multidrug-resistant pathogens on the International Space Station (ISS).
The findings could help inform and ensure the health of astronauts, said a press communique from IIT-Madras.
A study of the microbial landscape on the ISS is crucial to the health of astronauts who are deeply influenced by microorganisms on board the station which has limited access to medical facilities, the release said.
The researchers studied the genomic, functional, and metabolic enhancement in multidrug resistant pathogens, focussing on Enterobacter bugandensis – a nosocomial pathogen (originated in a hospital) — and 13 strains of the bacterium were isolated from the ISS.
The team mapped the prevalence and distribution of the bacterium over time to shed light on its colonisation pattern in space. They also studied the bacterium’s interaction with other organisms, the findings of which were published in the international journal, Microbiome.
The study found the well-developed systems in E. Bugandensis enable bacterial growth following infection of the host and employ many genes involved in iron acquisition, storage and metabolism. The ISS-isolated strains were also mutated, becoming genetically and functionally distinct under stress compared to their earth counterparts. It also coexisted with other organisms and helped those organisms survive.
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According to scientists, the study opens the door to take effective preventative measures for astronauts as insights into the persistence and succession patterns of the bacterium in space can be used for making strategies for managing microbial contamination in closed environments like spacecraft and hospitals.
The understanding of the genomic adaptations of the bacterium can aid in developing targeted antimicrobial treatment, according to the IIT-Madras press release.
The methodology adopted can also shed light on the study of microbial dynamics in other extreme environments, potentially improving our understanding of microbial ecology and adaptation, it added.
Regarding the need for similar studies, Professor Karthik Raman of the Department of Data Science and AI in the Wadhwani School of Data Science said in the statement: “Microbes continue to puzzle us by growing in the most challenging conditions – studies such as these serve to help us unravel the complex web of interactions underlying microbial growth and survival in such unique environments.”
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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