The Impact of Harsh Stratospheric Conditions on Survival and Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Non-Spore Forming Multidrug Resistant Human Pathogenic Bacteria Causing Hospital-Associated Infections

Górecki, Ignacy; Kołodziejczyk, Agata; Harasymczuk, Matt; Młynarczyk, G.; Szymanek-Majchrzak, Ksenia

doi:10.3390/ijerph20042787

Cited by 2 publications

References 49 publications

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Synergistic response of extremophiles in cyanobacterial crusts against in-situ exposure to multiple stratospheric stresses

Zhang,

Li,

Yang

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Background The stratosphere, with its harsh conditions similar to the Martian surface, provides a unique and relatively accessible environment for studying the adaptation of extremophiles in anticipation of extraterrestrial colonization applications. However, we are just beginning to understand the synergistic response of microbial communities under this Mars-like near space. Using cyanobacterial crusts from deserts, as a multitrophic model system, we loaded it on a balloon-borne astrobiology platform for direct exposure to multiple stratospheric stresses such as high radiation and extreme temperature fluctuations. We then performed multi-omics analyses to delineate the underlying composition alterations and metabolic response at the community level. Results After short-term in-situ exposure, a significant shift in the community composition of active members was observed that the relative abundance of photoautotrophs declined while chemotrophic abundance increased. We tracked the changes in metabolic processes against the stratospheric ambiance and found that life history strategies associated with resource acquisition, growth potential, and stress tolerance were regulated distinctively in different microbial categories. For instance, α-proteobacteria and chloroflexi tended to enhance the strategies related to the ability of stress tolerance, while actinobacteria assigned more resources to reinforce their growth potential. Cyanobacteria contributed to the promotion of different strategies, indicating their significant adaptability differentiation. Moreover, we demonstrated the unique thriving of Scytonema, a diazotrophic genus of cyanobacteria, attributed to its synthesis of anti-ultraviolet scytonemin, diverse material, and energy acquisition. These synergistic responses further induced interspecies mutualistic nutrient interactions, thus promoting the retention of organic carbon and nitrogen within the community, finally maintaining the stability of biocrusts in extreme environments of the stratosphere. Conclusions Our study underscores the adaptive resilience of cyanobacterial crusts under stratospheric conditions, with a notable shift in microbial composition and metabolic strategies. The robustness of Scytonema, particularly its unique survival capabilities, highlights its potential for extraterrestrial colonization. These findings expand our understanding of microbial proliferation in extreme environments, providing valuable insights for future astrobiological endeavors.

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Synergistic response of extremophiles in cyanobacterial crusts against in-situ exposure to multiple stratospheric stresses

Zhang,

Li,

Yang

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Impact of payload shielding on Enterobacter cloacae viability and proteomic profile: Insights from a stratospheric weather balloon flight experiment

Ocampo,

Barker,

Rice

et al. 2024

Gravitational and Space Research

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Enterobacter cloacae, a gram-negative bacterium commonly found in the human gut microbiota, poses potential health risks to astronauts in the unique environment of space flight. This study investigated the effects of payload shielding on E. cloacae in a short-duration, student-initiated, weather balloon flight experiment. Faraday fabric-based payload shielding did not impact the viability of the balloon flight samples. However, murine macrophage infection assays showed that shielded balloon flight E. cloacae had significantly improved intracellular survival compared to unshielded E. cloacae. Proteomic analysis demonstrated distinct profiles in shielded and unshielded samples, with a differential abundance of proteins involved in diverse biological processes. Specifically, decreased abundance of proteins involved in chemotaxis, DNA repair, replication, transcription, peptidoglycan synthesis, and proteolysis were observed in the Faraday fabric-based payload-shielded samples. In contrast, proteins associated with protein translation, transport, tricarboxylic acid cycle, fatty acid biosynthesis, and amino acid metabolism were increased in shielded conditions. This experiment provides a framework for which future long-duration balloon flight experiments can be designed, and the findings provide initial insights into the impact of payload shielding on E. cloacae physiology. Understanding the impact of the stratosphere on human gut microbiota is important for preserving human health during future space flight missions.

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The Impact of Harsh Stratospheric Conditions on Survival and Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Non-Spore Forming Multidrug Resistant Human Pathogenic Bacteria Causing Hospital-Associated Infections

Cited by 2 publications

References 49 publications

Synergistic response of extremophiles in cyanobacterial crusts against in-situ exposure to multiple stratospheric stresses

Synergistic response of extremophiles in cyanobacterial crusts against in-situ exposure to multiple stratospheric stresses

Impact of payload shielding on Enterobacter cloacae viability and proteomic profile: Insights from a stratospheric weather balloon flight experiment

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