Microbes In Space Mutated and Developed a Remarkable Ability (sciencealert.com)
- Reference: 0180713084
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/02/01/0710229/microbes-in-space-mutated-and-developed-a-remarkable-ability
- Source link: https://www.sciencealert.com/microbes-in-space-mutated-and-developed-a-remarkable-ability
> Scientists aboard the space station incubated different combinations of bacteria and phages for 25 days, while the research team led by biochemist Vatsan Raman carried out the same experiments in Madison, down here on Earth. "Space fundamentally changes how phages and bacteria interact: infection is slowed, and both organisms evolve along a different trajectory than they do on Earth," [3]the researchers explain . In the weightlessness of space, bacteria acquired mutations in genes involved in the microbe's stress response and nutrient management. Their surface proteins also changed. After a slow start, the phages mutated in response, so they could continue binding to their victims.
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> The team found that certain space-specific phage mutations were especially effective at killing Earth-bound bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections (UTIs). [4]More than 90 percent of the bacteria responsible for UTIs are antibiotic-resistant, making phage treatments a promising alternative.
[1] https://www.sciencealert.com/microbes-in-space-mutated-and-developed-a-remarkable-ability
[2] https://youtu.be/j94CbZiA1j0
[3] https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/bacteria-vs-phages-an-altered-evolutionary-arms-race-in-space
[4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6436442
Mutation is not bad (Score:2)
If something, especially a microbe, "mutates" on some spaceship it is not going be harmful to humans. For something to accumulate enough mutations to be harmful, there has to be an evolutionary pressure for it to be harmful. There's no way a single mutation can cause harm because in even a small bacteria colony there'll be a variety of mutations no matter if it's on Earth or space. There needs to be selective pressure to accumulate the right set of mutations.
Re: Mutation is not bad (Score:2)
The mutations are random, and the ones that help them survive continue. As do others, though, that happened alongside.
There's no guarantee that the mutations are NOT harmful to humans.
Poisonous mushrooms didn't necessarily evolve to be harmful to us. There's no pressure on them to be harmful to us. It just sucks for us that whatever random mutations happened in their evolutionary history that helped them survive happens to kill us.
Whilst the likelihood is low that the mutations are harmful, you cannot ass
90%? (Score:4, Interesting)
I was surprised to read that 90% of UTIs' bacteria are antibiotic-resistant. Ouch, in more ways than one.
Re: 90%? (Score:2)
90% of the 89 urine samples that showed infection, from 273 urine samples collected from out patients at one particular hospital.
I think more data is needed to assert 90% across the entire population.
Still, 90% is high in just one study.
Confusing title (Score:2)
Were these "bugs" returning TO the ISS or returning FROM the ISS? C'mon EditorDavid, this is just sloppy.
Re: Confusing title (Score:2)
"A return trip to the ISS" is correct. It went to the ISS and returned. Similar to "a return flight to Australia".