Space Turns Microbe Nasty
By Mark Steer
In September 2006 NASA’s space shuttle mission STS-115 carried tubes containing Salmonella typhimurium into space. Why? To see what would happen. And what happened? The microbes became almost three times more potent.Their trip into space altered the germs' genetic behaviour. Compared to bacteria that remained on earth, the space-traveling Salmonella had changed expression of 167 genes.
The study discovered that an important regulatory protein, Hfq, may be a key molecule responsible for the increased virulence. “Hfq is a protein that binds to and regulates a number of regulatory RNAs, which in turn, control gene expression,” said Cheryl Nickerson from the Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at Arizona State University.
The results could have important implications for human health since Salmonella is a leading cause of illness, especially in the developing world. Targeting Hfq might be an important step in finding a cure for the disease.Nickerson's study also highlights some other potential difficulties for the colonisation of other planets - it would be a real shame if we managed to make it all the way to Mars only to be struck down dead by an angry tummy bug as soon as we got there.
Feeling spaced out? Read these:
- Weird - Space girls get astronaughty
- Cool - Destination: Pluto
- Bizarre - Shrooms from outer space
- Funny - Astronauts in custard danger
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Image: W/Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH
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