Microbes in microgravity: identifying diversity and adaptions

Microbial monitoring in space presents unique technical challenges, particularly within the International Space Station’s (ISS) water recovery system.

In this video, we hear how NASA has shifted from slow, Earth-dependent methods to rapid, in situ bacterial identification and genome analysis, using the compact and portable MinION Mk1D sequencer.

This has revealed previously hidden microbial diversity and genetic adaptations. Additionally, we’ll spotlight a remarkable collaboration with high school students, whose genomic analysis of Ralstonia pickettii isolates uncovered evidence of adaptive evolution and potential virulence traits in spaceborne bacteria.

Key learning objectives:

• Learn how pangenomic analysis of R. pickettii isolates from the ISS reveal adaptive evolution and potential horizontal gene transfer in microgravity
• Understand the virulence-associated genes identified in bacterial isolates from ISS potable water and their implications for astronaut health
• See how NASA validated spaceflight-compatible methods to meet microbial monitoring requirements for human-associated spacecraft
• Explore the bioinformatic pipelines for whole-genome and 16S rRNA analysis used for in situ bacterial identification