Scientists discovered a new microbe never seen on earth inside ChinaTiangong space station.
The new strain of bacteria, named Niallia tiangongensis After the space station, is a variant of a terrestrial microbe living on the ground which can cause sepsisand was found in one of the housing of the station.
Now, a new strain analysis has revealed that the bacteria is not unique, but has also picked up key adaptations that could be useful in future space missions. The researchers published their results on March 3 in the journal International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
“Understanding the characteristics of microbes during long -term spatial missions is essential to save the health of astronauts and maintain the functionality of the space machine,” wrote researchers in the study.
The new strain was found in samples taken in 2023 by the crew of the Shenzhou-15 mission, which escaped the modules of the space station with sterile wipes before freezing them for transport.
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After being returned to earth, the analysis revealed that bacteria were closely linked to Niallia CirculansA spore cane bacteria that generally lives in the soil, wastewater and food, and can septicemia in immunocompromised patients.
However, the new strain had also picked up some new adaptations to survive the difficult conditions of space. These include genes that code responses to oxidative stress, repair bacteria of damage caused by radiation and allow it to form biofilms by decomposing gelatin to extract carbon and nitrogen.
It is not yet clear if the new strain could harm humans, but the researchers hope that in studying it more, they could know more about the way in which he, and others, survives; As well as the best ways to prevent human astronauts from any risk associated with bugs adapted to space.
This is not the first microbe to have made the evolutionary jump to survive beyond our planet. In 2018, Nasa scientists discovered Four strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria hiding inside the toilets of the international space station, each with a series of new adaptations to help them survive in space.