Scientists have found that viruses in space undergo mutations that enhance their ability to infect bacteria, which could have implications for fighting human infections.
Recent research has revealed that microgravity conditions affect the physiology of both bacteria and viruses, prompting scientists to investigate the long-term interactions in these unique environments. In the study, two groups of Escherichia coli samples infected with the T7 bacteriophage were compared—one grown on Earth and the other in the International Space Station (ISS). The results highlighted significant differences in mutation patterns between the viral and bacterial samples, with mutations in space enhancing the viruses' ability to infect and attach to bacterial cell receptors.
In space, the T7 bacteriophage was able to infect the E. coli bacteria after a delay, suggesting that the space environment alters the dynamics of these interactions. Importantly, while the viruses developed mutations that facilitated increased infection rates, the bacteria also accumulated mutations that provided them with resistance against the bacteriophage, indicating a rapid evolutionary response to the alien conditions of microgravity. This phenomenon raises questions about how space environments influence pathogen evolution and could potentially guide strategies for combating serious human infections on Earth.
Moreover, researchers employed a technique called deep mutation scanning to analyze the variants in detail, which allowed them to understand how specific mutations contribute to the survival of bacteria and their interactions with viruses in microgravity. This groundbreaking study opens up new avenues for understanding microbial behavior in space and may eventually have real-world applications in medical science, particularly in developing new treatments for bacterial infections resistant to current antibiotics.
