STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF SPACEFLIGHT FACTORS ON BACTERIOPHAGES
(BAKTERIOFAG/BAKTERIOFAG-L), TWO INVESTIGATIONS
Research Area: Microbiology
Expedition(s): 21-24 and 27-ongoing
Principle Investigator(s): ● Grigoriy Y. Shcherbakov, MD, Biopreparat, Moscow, Russia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Study of the Effects of Spaceflight Factors on Bacterophages (Bakteriofag/Bakteriofag-L)
investigation examines the therapeutic, diagnostic, and genetic properties of bacteriophages to
discover possible changes in the physical, chemical, morphological, and genetic properties of
therapeutic and diagnostic bacteriophages exposed to microgravity.
EARTH BENEFITS
Bacteriophages are used to prevent and treat certain bacterial infections. Due to their specific
lytic action on bacteria, they are an alternative to antibiotics. They are strictly specific, and live
in the human body in the presence of specific bacterial flora, then due to the absence of a
substrate, they die and the body self-cleans.
SPACE BENEFITS
During the long-term presence of crewmembers in space station conditions, human microflora
infiltrates the structure, equipment, and materials which cause conditions similar to the
development of hospital based infections. On Earth, the battle with these
infections is fought using harsh disinfectants that cannot be used in
spaceflight conditions. In these conditions, bacteriophage preparations will
turn out to be indispensable; the treatment with them may be similar to wet
cleaning, and after inactivation of microorganisms, the bacteriophages
themselves die. Such specific sterilizing preparations will also help to
eliminate dispersed microorganisms destroying materials and equipment.
Therefore, during long-term autonomous spaceflight conditions, having such
preparations on board the vehicle is promising.
RESULTS
BAKTERIOFAG
Of the lyophilically dried bacteriophages exposed on the ISS one,
Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage exhibited increased lytic activity. Data
indicated that in the lyophilically dried forms of bacteriophages exposed to
space factors, the structure of particles was unchanged and the heads of the
phage particles contain DNA. The biological properties of the bacteriophages
(morphology of negative colonies, spectrum of lytic action, and stability
under the influence of fluctuating pH levels) do not change relative to initial
data. All studied bacteriophages retained their viability and biological
activity after being in space for 3 months. However, it was noted that theElectron
micrographs of
bacteriophages
after 4 months in
space from ISS
Expedition 30.
Roscosmos
image.