Tiangong Space Station
It is not unique, and has even acquired important adaptations that can be useful in future space missions. What a strange bacteria is this?
Niallia tiangongensis It was discovered in 2023 by the Shenzhou-15 mission crew at China’s Tiangong space station. Emerged as a bacterium never seen before, but quickly scientists realized that it was a strain.
In fact, the bacteria is not unique, but also acquired some important adaptations that can be useful in future space missionsexplains a
“Understanding the characteristics of microbes during long -term space missions is essential to safeguard the health of astronauts and maintaining the functionality of spaceships,” wrote the investigators, who published OA 3 March in the magazine International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
The bacteria was closely related to the Niallia circulansa bacteria in the form of a rod that propagates by spores, which usually inhabits the soil, sewers and food, and can cause sepsis In immunocompromised patients, explains Live Science.
It is not known whether this bacteria may or may not cause damage to humans, but the adaptations it has acquired can help to survive the adverse conditions of space – this strain has genes that encodes responses to oxidative stress, repair the bacteria of the damage caused by radiation and allow you to form biofilms through gelatin decomposition to extract carbon and nitrogen.
Now researchers want to learn more about this bacteria, unravel their mystery and explore future applications. The sky is not the limit, because niallia tiangongensis Already exceeded him.
