Overview
- The PLOS Biology study compared T7 phages and E. coli incubated on the International Space Station with identical Earth controls, finding infection in space started later but still proceeded.
- Whole-genome sequencing revealed space-specific genetic changes, including mutations in phage receptor-binding proteins and bacterial receptors linked to survival in microgravity.
- Deep mutational scanning tied microgravity-associated alterations in the phage binding protein to increased activity against urinary tract infection–causing E. coli strains normally resistant to T7 when tested on Earth.
- The authors highlight potential pathways to engineer therapeutic phages for drug-resistant pathogens, while stressing that the results are early and limited by ISS sample size and hardware constraints.
- Researchers note that microbial evolution in spacecraft could affect astronaut health on long missions, and outside experts point to the cost and logistics of space experiments versus Earth-based microgravity simulations.