Viruses bred in space become better at killing drug-resistant bacteria

A study conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has revealed that bacteria-infecting viruses behave differently in microgravity compared to on Earth. This finding opens new possibilities for fighting drug-resistant infections, according to a correspondent from the Qazinform News Agency.

Research published in the scientific journal PLOS Biology indicates that “bacteriophages”—viruses that hunt bacteria—were still able to infect E. coli bacteria in near-weightless conditions. However, the infection process and the way they evolved showed significant differences from patterns observed on Earth.

The research team, led by Phil Huss from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, compared E. coli cultures infected with the “T7” virus both on Earth and in space. Although the infection in space was initially delayed, the virus ultimately succeeded in replicating. Genetic analysis revealed that both the bacteria and the viruses developed unique mutations (genetic changes) while in space conditions.

The study revealed that viruses grown on the space station underwent genetic modifications, specifically in the protein they use to latch onto bacteria. This change improved their ability to attach to bacterial targets and potentially increased their ability to infect them. Simultaneously, E. coli grown in space developed mutations that heightened their resistance to these viruses and improved their survival in the weightless environment.

Advanced genetic scanning pinpointed these critical changes in the virus’s attachment protein. Subsequent Earth-based experiments confirmed that these space-induced mutations resulted in increased effectiveness of the viruses against E. coli strains responsible for human urinary tract infections. This increased effectiveness even extended to strains that are typically resistant to the T7 virus.

Space-based experiments yield significant insights beyond simply how microbes adapt outside of Earth.

The authors observed that space fundamentally alters the interaction between viruses and bacteria, slowing infection and driving an evolutionary path distinct from that on Earth. By studying these space-driven adaptations, they uncovered new biological knowledge that enabled them to engineer viruses with vastly improved effectiveness against drug-resistant germs back on Earth.