Scientists have discovered a previously unknown strain of microbe after analyzing samples taken from China’s Tiangong space station.
It is the first time a new species has been discovered aboard Tiangong, a three-module space station in low Earth orbit.
China’s astronauts working aboard Tiangong regularly sample microbes from the space station’s air, surfaces and water dispenser outlets to monitor the space station’s environment.
It is not the first time a novel species has been discovered in space.
Research aboard Tiangong also includes assessing how microbes interact with materials aboard Tiangong, China Central Television (CCTV) reported, citing China’s human spaceflight agency.
Following the analysis of samples from China’s Tiangong space station, researchers have identified a previously unidentified strain of microbe.
Microbial samples taken from the surfaces of Tiangong during the Shenzhou 15 crewed mission, which returned to Earth in June 2023, contained the new strain of microbe, officially known as Niallia tiangongensis.
The peer-reviewed article in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, which was published in March, describes the new microbe as an aerobic, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium. On board Tiangong, a three-module space station in low Earth orbit, a new species has been found for the first time.
The new species most closely resembles one that can cause infections and even sepsis in immunocompromised people and is found in soil and waste on Earth. Using morphological observation, genome sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and metabolic profiling, it has been identified as a novel strain that is a member of the Cytobacillaceae family and genus Niallia.
According to the paper, “Knowing the properties of microbes during extended space missions is crucial for protecting astronaut health and preserving spacecraft functionality.”.
The new microbe differs from its terrestrial relatives in that it appears to have adapted to the conditions in orbit. In addition to having a special capacity for biofilm formation that facilitates the repair of radiation damage, Niallia tiangongensis exhibits an elevated oxidative stress response.
The study claims that these adaptations, which are the result of structural and functional variations in two different protein types, show that the microbe has made adaptations to help it survive in the harsh conditions of space.
The Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering and Shenzhou Space Biotechnology Group researchers wrote the paper.
In order to keep an eye on the environment of the space station, Chinese astronauts on board Tiangong routinely collect microbe samples from the air, surfaces, and water dispenser outlets.
The discovery of a new species in space is not unprecedented. Trillions of microscopic organisms are carried by astronauts traveling to and from space stations, despite the fact that these locations are comparatively clean and receive higher radiation doses than the Earth’s surface.
Numerous novel bacterial strains from the International Space Station have been discovered, including some that might aid astronauts in cultivating crops on Mars.
26 hitherto unidentified bacterial species were recently found in NASA clean rooms, some of the most sterile environments ever constructed by humans and intended to stop spacecraft from bringing undesirable microorganisms to other planets.
As reported by China Central Television (CCTV), which cited China’s human spaceflight agency, research on Tiangong also involves evaluating the interactions between microbes and materials on board. To learn more about how microbial colonies can lead to corrosion in a space environment, tests measure the effects of the fungus Aspergillus niger, also known as black mold, on a variety of materials, including heat-shrink tubing, bare copper boards, and circuit boards coated with polyurethane.
