Future space travellers have a bad news. Researcher, Madhan Tirumalai, Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Houston and part of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, has discovered that bacteria mutate and multiply in simulated space-like environments. He observed the development of E.coli over 1,000 generations in a rotating container intended to simulate microgravity.
It was seen that the bacteria developed 16 mutations, and when they were positioned next to normal E. coli cells, they grew around three times more colonies and maintained a 72 per cent adaptive advantage. Further, their adaptations remained even when researchers tried to remove them.
Mutations affected the genes related to biofilm production, which often makes cells more strong and virulent, these changes were slightly upsetting. However, not every mutation impacts a negative change. In fact, as Tirumalai witnessed, the E. coli was still susceptible to antibiotics. Basically, even if microgravity turns bacteria into superbugs, we can still rely on antibiotics.
Space Travel and Superbugs.
E. coli is a relatively benign bacteria, but other ghastlier bugs and diseases could threaten entire missions — costing exquisite life and money — if they mutate in a violent or untreatable way. A 2013 study found that in space human immune
“cells are not able to respond to a pathogen anymore,” which “means that it will be easier for space travellers to get sick because their immune system is weakening.” Considering these potential consequences the scenario became more worrying.Tirumalai explained that they needed more of this kind of experiment, especially with human space flight gaining more grip in recent years. News concerning more people going to space as part of the commercial spaceflight revolution is thrilling. However, practical considerations – such as how microgravity impacts bacteria and our bodies– must be dealt with before we go on board to space, mainly when it comes to long flights such as the plan to go to Mars.
