1
|
Wu J, Hu Y, Perlin MH, Danko D, Lu J, Oliveira M, Werner J, Zambrano MM, Sierra MA, Osuolale OO, Łabaj P, Rascovan N, Hazrin-Chong NH, Jang S, Suzuki H, Nieto-Caballero M, Prithiviraj B, Lee PKH, Chmielarczyk A, Różańska A, Zhao Y, Wang L, Mason CE, Shi T. Landscape of global urban environmental resistome and its association with local socioeconomic and medical status. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:1292-1301. [PMID: 38489008 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2504-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical threat to global health and development, with environmental factors-particularly in urban areas-contributing significantly to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, most research to date has been conducted at a local level, leaving significant gaps in our understanding of the global status of antibiotic resistance in urban environments. To address this issue, we thoroughly analyzed a total of 86,213 ARGs detected within 4,728 metagenome samples, which were collected by the MetaSUB International Consortium involving diverse urban environments in 60 cities of 27 countries, utilizing a deep-learning based methodology. Our findings demonstrated the strong geographical specificity of urban environmental resistome, and their correlation with various local socioeconomic and medical conditions. We also identified distinctive evolutionary patterns of ARG-related biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) across different countries, and discovered that the urban environment represents a rich source of novel antibiotics. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the global urban environmental resistome, and fills a significant gap in our knowledge of large-scale urban antibiotic resistome analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wu
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yige Hu
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Michael H Perlin
- Department of Biology, Program on Disease Evolution, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40292, USA
| | - David Danko
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, 10065, USA
- The Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Manuela Oliveira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4050-290, Portugal
- Ipatimup - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4200-465, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4050-290, Portugal
| | - Johannes Werner
- High Performance and Cloud Computing Group, Zentrum für Datenverarbeitung (ZDV), Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Wächterstraße 76, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Maria A Sierra
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, 10065, USA
- The Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Olayinka O Osuolale
- Applied Environmental Metagenomics and Infectious Diseases Research (AEMIDR), Department of Biological Sciences, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, 340271, Nigeria
| | - Paweł Łabaj
- Maopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, 30-005, Poland
| | - Nicolás Rascovan
- Aix-Marseille Université, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanology, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, UM 110, Marseille, 83041, France
| | - Nur Hazlin Hazrin-Chong
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia UKM, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Soojin Jang
- Institut Pasteur Korea, Seoul, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Haruo Suzuki
- Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0882, Japan
| | - Marina Nieto-Caballero
- Civil, Environmental and Architectural Department, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, 80303, USA
| | | | - Patrick K H Lee
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Agnieszka Chmielarczyk
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, 30-005, Poland
| | - Anna Różańska
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, 30-005, Poland
| | - Yongxiang Zhao
- Biological Targeting Diagnosis and Therapy Research Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Lan Wang
- College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, 10065, USA.
- The Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, New York, 10065, USA.
| | - Tieliu Shi
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Beihang University & Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Irby I, Broddrick JT. Microbial adaptation to spaceflight is correlated with bacteriophage-encoded functions. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3474. [PMID: 38750067 PMCID: PMC11096397 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42104-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence from the International Space Station suggests microbial populations are rapidly adapting to the spacecraft environment; however, the mechanism of this adaptation is not understood. Bacteriophages are prolific mediators of bacterial adaptation on Earth. Here we survey 245 genomes sequenced from bacterial strains isolated on the International Space Station for dormant (lysogenic) bacteriophages. Our analysis indicates phage-associated genes are significantly different between spaceflight strains and their terrestrial counterparts. In addition, we identify 283 complete prophages, those that could initiate bacterial lysis and infect additional hosts, of which 21% are novel. These prophage regions encode functions that correlate with increased persistence in extreme environments, such as spaceflight, to include antimicrobial resistance and virulence, DNA damage repair, and dormancy. Our results correlate microbial adaptation in spaceflight to bacteriophage-encoded functions that may impact human health in spaceflight.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iris Irby
- Space Biosciences Research Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jared T Broddrick
- Space Biosciences Research Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rusic D, Kumric M, Seselja Perisin A, Leskur D, Bukic J, Modun D, Vilovic M, Vrdoljak J, Martinovic D, Grahovac M, Bozic J. Tackling the Antimicrobial Resistance "Pandemic" with Machine Learning Tools: A Summary of Available Evidence. Microorganisms 2024; 12:842. [PMID: 38792673 PMCID: PMC11123121 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is recognised as one of the top threats healthcare is bound to face in the future. There have been various attempts to preserve the efficacy of existing antimicrobials, develop new and efficient antimicrobials, manage infections with multi-drug resistant strains, and improve patient outcomes, resulting in a growing mass of routinely available data, including electronic health records and microbiological information that can be employed to develop individualised antimicrobial stewardship. Machine learning methods have been developed to predict antimicrobial resistance from whole-genome sequencing data, forecast medication susceptibility, recognise epidemic patterns for surveillance purposes, or propose new antibacterial treatments and accelerate scientific discovery. Unfortunately, there is an evident gap between the number of machine learning applications in science and the effective implementation of these systems. This narrative review highlights some of the outstanding opportunities that machine learning offers when applied in research related to antimicrobial resistance. In the future, machine learning tools may prove to be superbugs' kryptonite. This review aims to provide an overview of available publications to aid researchers that are looking to expand their work with new approaches and to acquaint them with the current application of machine learning techniques in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Doris Rusic
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (D.R.); (A.S.P.); (D.L.); (J.B.); (D.M.)
| | - Marko Kumric
- Department of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (M.K.); (M.V.); (J.V.); (D.M.)
- Laboratory for Cardiometabolic Research, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Ana Seselja Perisin
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (D.R.); (A.S.P.); (D.L.); (J.B.); (D.M.)
| | - Dario Leskur
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (D.R.); (A.S.P.); (D.L.); (J.B.); (D.M.)
| | - Josipa Bukic
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (D.R.); (A.S.P.); (D.L.); (J.B.); (D.M.)
| | - Darko Modun
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (D.R.); (A.S.P.); (D.L.); (J.B.); (D.M.)
| | - Marino Vilovic
- Department of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (M.K.); (M.V.); (J.V.); (D.M.)
- Laboratory for Cardiometabolic Research, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Josip Vrdoljak
- Department of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (M.K.); (M.V.); (J.V.); (D.M.)
- Laboratory for Cardiometabolic Research, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Dinko Martinovic
- Department of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (M.K.); (M.V.); (J.V.); (D.M.)
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital of Split, Spinciceva 1, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Marko Grahovac
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia;
| | - Josko Bozic
- Department of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia; (M.K.); (M.V.); (J.V.); (D.M.)
- Laboratory for Cardiometabolic Research, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sengupta P, Muthamilselvi Sivabalan SK, Singh NK, Raman K, Venkateswaran K. Genomic, functional, and metabolic enhancements in multidrug-resistant Enterobacter bugandensis facilitating its persistence and succession in the International Space Station. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:62. [PMID: 38521963 PMCID: PMC10960378 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01777-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The International Space Station (ISS) stands as a testament to human achievement in space exploration. Despite its highly controlled environment, characterised by microgravity, increased CO2 levels, and elevated solar radiation, microorganisms occupy a unique niche. These microbial inhabitants play a significant role in influencing the health and well-being of astronauts on board. One microorganism of particular interest in our study is Enterobacter bugandensis, primarily found in clinical specimens including the human gastrointestinal tract, and also reported to possess pathogenic traits, leading to a plethora of infections. RESULTS Distinct from their Earth counterparts, ISS E. bugandensis strains have exhibited resistance mechanisms that categorise them within the ESKAPE pathogen group, a collection of pathogens recognised for their formidable resistance to antimicrobial treatments. During the 2-year Microbial Tracking 1 mission, 13 strains of multidrug-resistant E. bugandensis were isolated from various locations within the ISS. We have carried out a comprehensive study to understand the genomic intricacies of ISS-derived E. bugandensis in comparison to terrestrial strains, with a keen focus on those associated with clinical infections. We unravel the evolutionary trajectories of pivotal genes, especially those contributing to functional adaptations and potential antimicrobial resistance. A hypothesis central to our study was that the singular nature of the stresses of the space environment, distinct from any on Earth, could be driving these genomic adaptations. Extending our investigation, we meticulously mapped the prevalence and distribution of E. bugandensis across the ISS over time. This temporal analysis provided insights into the persistence, succession, and potential patterns of colonisation of E. bugandensis in space. Furthermore, by leveraging advanced analytical techniques, including metabolic modelling, we delved into the coexisting microbial communities alongside E. bugandensis in the ISS across multiple missions and spatial locations. This exploration revealed intricate microbial interactions, offering a window into the microbial ecosystem dynamics within the ISS. CONCLUSIONS Our comprehensive analysis illuminated not only the ways these interactions sculpt microbial diversity but also the factors that might contribute to the potential dominance and succession of E. bugandensis within the ISS environment. The implications of these findings are twofold. Firstly, they shed light on microbial behaviour, adaptation, and evolution in extreme, isolated environments. Secondly, they underscore the need for robust preventive measures, ensuring the health and safety of astronauts by mitigating risks associated with potential pathogenic threats. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pratyay Sengupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Nitin Kumar Singh
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, M/S 89-2, 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, 91109, CA, USA
| | - Karthik Raman
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600036, India.
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, M/S 89-2, 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, 91109, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mohammadi B, Gorkina N, Pérez-Reyes ME, Smith SA. Profiling toxin genes and antibiotic resistance in Bacillus cereus isolated from pre-launch spacecraft. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1231726. [PMID: 38045028 PMCID: PMC10690612 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1231726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterization of the microbiomes of pre-launch spacecraft in spacecraft assembly facilities is an important step in keeping crews healthy during journeys that can last several hundred days in small artificial environments in space. Bacillus cereus, a foodborne pathogenic bacterium, has the potential to be a significant source of food contamination in such environments. This bacterium is a spore-forming bacteria that resists different antimicrobial treatments in cleanrooms where spacecraft are assembled. This study evaluated 41 B. cereus isolates from four pre-launch spacecraft in spacecraft assembly facilities for their toxin gene profile and antibiotic resistance. Four enterotoxin genes (hlbC, cytK, nheA, and entFM) and two emetic toxin genes (ces and CER) were targeted for chromosomal DNA and plasmid DNA. Results showed 31.7, 7.3, 85, and 41.5% of isolates contained hblC, cytK, nheA, and entFM, respectively, in chromosomal or plasmid DNA. Overall, 37 isolates (90.2%) showed at least one enterotoxin gene. The emetic toxin gene, ces, was detected in the plasmid DNA of three isolates (7.3%). The antibiotic resistance of isolates was evaluated by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion procedure. All the isolates exhibited 100% susceptibility to gentamicin, 97% were susceptible to clindamycin, and 95% to chloramphenicol, imipenem, tetracycline, and vancomycin. The overall susceptibility average is 51%. However, 98% of the isolates were resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, 97.5% were resistant to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and 80% were resistant to rifampin. This study provides important information on B. cereus isolates from spacecraft assembly facilities for use in microbial monitoring programs of spacecraft.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Stephanie A. Smith
- Consumer Food Safety Laboratory, School of Food Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zagajewski A, Turner P, Feehily C, El Sayyed H, Andersson M, Barrett L, Oakley S, Stracy M, Crook D, Nellåker C, Stoesser N, Kapanidis AN. Deep learning and single-cell phenotyping for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility detection in Escherichia coli. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1164. [PMID: 37964031 PMCID: PMC10645916 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05524-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest public health challenges, already causing up to 1.2 million deaths annually and rising. Current culture-based turnaround times for bacterial identification in clinical samples and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) are typically 18-24 h. We present a novel proof-of-concept methodological advance in susceptibility testing based on the deep-learning of single-cell specific morphological phenotypes directly associated with antimicrobial susceptibility in Escherichia coli. Our models can reliably (80% single-cell accuracy) classify untreated and treated susceptible cells for a lab-reference fully susceptible E. coli strain, across four antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, rifampicin and co-amoxiclav). For ciprofloxacin, we demonstrate our models reveal significant (p < 0.001) differences between bacterial cell populations affected and unaffected by antibiotic treatment, and show that given treatment with a fixed concentration of 10 mg/L over 30 min these phenotypic effects correlate with clinical susceptibility defined by established clinical breakpoints. Deploying our approach on cell populations from six E. coli strains obtained from human bloodstream infections with varying degrees of ciprofloxacin resistance and treated with a range of ciprofloxacin concentrations, we show single-cell phenotyping has the potential to provide equivalent information to growth-based AST assays, but in as little as 30 min.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Zagajewski
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Piers Turner
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Conor Feehily
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Hafez El Sayyed
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Monique Andersson
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Lucinda Barrett
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Sarah Oakley
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Mathew Stracy
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Derrick Crook
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Christoffer Nellåker
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Big Data Institute, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
| | - Nicole Stoesser
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
| | - Achillefs N Kapanidis
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK.
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Simpson AC, Sengupta P, Zhang F, Hameed A, Parker CW, Singh NK, Miliotis G, Rekha PD, Raman K, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Phylogenomics, phenotypic, and functional traits of five novel (Earth-derived) bacterial species isolated from the International Space Station and their prevalence in metagenomes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19207. [PMID: 37932283 PMCID: PMC10628120 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44172-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
With the advent of long-term human habitation in space and on the moon, understanding how the built environment microbiome of space habitats differs from Earth habitats, and how microbes survive, proliferate and spread in space conditions, is becoming more important. The microbial tracking mission series has been monitoring the microbiome of the International Space Station (ISS) for almost a decade. During this mission series, six unique strains of Gram-stain-positive bacteria, including two spore-forming and three non-spore-forming species, were isolated from the environmental surfaces of the ISS. The analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed > 99% similarities with previously described bacterial species. To further explore their phylogenetic affiliation, whole genome sequencing was undertaken. For all strains, the gyrB gene exhibited < 93% similarity with closely related species, which proved effective in categorizing these ISS strains as novel species. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values, when compared to any known bacterial species, were < 94% and <50% respectively for all species described here. Traditional biochemical tests, fatty acid profiling, polar lipid, and cell wall composition analyses were performed to generate phenotypic characterization of these ISS strains. A study of the shotgun metagenomic reads from the ISS samples, from which the novel species were isolated, showed that only 0.1% of the total reads mapped to the novel species, supporting the idea that these novel species are rare in the ISS environments. In-depth annotation of the genomes unveiled a variety of genes linked to amino acid and derivative synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, cofactors, vitamins, prosthetic groups, pigments, and protein metabolism. Further analysis of these ISS-isolated organisms revealed that, on average, they contain 46 genes associated with virulence, disease, and defense. The main predicted functions of these genes are: conferring resistance to antibiotics and toxic compounds, and enabling invasion and intracellular resistance. After conducting antiSMASH analysis, it was found that there are roughly 16 cluster types across the six strains, including β-lactone and type III polyketide synthase (T3PKS) clusters. Based on these multi-faceted taxonomic methods, it was concluded that these six ISS strains represent five novel species, which we propose to name as follows: Arthrobacter burdickii IIF3SC-B10T (= NRRL B-65660T = DSM 115933T), Leifsonia virtsii F6_8S_P_1AT (= NRRL B-65661T = DSM 115931T), Leifsonia williamsii F6_8S_P_1BT (= NRRL B-65662T = DSM 115932T), Paenibacillus vandeheii F6_3S_P_1CT (= NRRL B-65663T = DSM 115940T), and Sporosarcina highlanderae F6_3S_P_2T (= NRRL B-65664T = DSM 115943T). Identifying and characterizing the genomes and phenotypes of novel microbes found in space habitats, like those explored in this study, is integral for expanding our genomic databases of space-relevant microbes. This approach offers the only reliable method to determine species composition, track microbial dispersion, and anticipate potential threats to human health from monitoring microbes on the surfaces and equipment within space habitats. By unraveling these microbial mysteries, we take a crucial step towards ensuring the safety and success of future space missions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Simpson
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Pratyay Sengupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Flora Zhang
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Asif Hameed
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Ceth W Parker
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Nitin K Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Georgios Miliotis
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Punchappady D Rekha
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Karthik Raman
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and the WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wang S, Wang J, Zeng X, Wang T, Yu Z, Wei Y, Cai M, Zhuoma D, Chu XY, Chen YZ, Zhao Y. Database of space life investigations and information on spaceflight plant biology. PLANTA 2023; 258:58. [PMID: 37528331 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04213-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Extensive spaceflight life investigations (SLIs) have revealed observable space effects on plants, particularly their growth, nutrition yield, and secondary metabolite production. Knowledge of these effects not only facilitates space agricultural and biopharmaceutical technology development but also provides unique perspectives to ground-based investigations. SLIs are specialized experimental protocols and notable biological phenomena. These require specialized databases, leading to the development of the NASA Science Data Archive, Erasmus Experiment Archive, and NASA GeneLab. The increasing interests of SLIs across diverse fields demand resources with comprehensive content, convenient search facilities, and friendly information presentation. A new database SpaceLID (Space Life Investigation Database http://bidd.group/spacelid/ ) was developed with detailed menu search tools and categorized contents about the phenomena, protocols, and outcomes of 459 SLIs (including 106 plant investigations) of 92 species, where 236 SLIs and 57 plant investigations are uncovered by the existing databases. The usefulness of SpaceLID as an SLI information source is illustrated by the literature-reported analysis of metabolite, nutrition, and symbiosis variations of spaceflight plants. In conclusion, this study extensively investigated the impact of the space environment on plant biology, utilizing SpaceLID as an information source and examining various plant species, including Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica rapa L., and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. The findings provide valuable insights into the effects of space conditions on plant physiology and metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Wang
- Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Junyong Wang
- Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Xian Zeng
- Department of Biological Medicines and Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Immunotherapeutics, Fudan University School of Pharmacy, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Zijie Yu
- Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Yiqi Wei
- Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Mengna Cai
- Institute of Civil Design, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102206, China
| | | | - Xin-Yi Chu
- Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| | - Yu Zong Chen
- Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| | - Yufen Zhao
- Qian Xuesen Collaborative Research Center of Astrochemistry and Space Life Sciences, Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
- Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102206, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lu Y, Yang J, Zhang L, Chen F, Han P, Fu Y. Characteristics of bacterial community and ARG profiles in the surface and air environments in a spacecraft assembly cleanroom. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 329:121613. [PMID: 37087089 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in spacecraft assembly cleanrooms is crucial for spacecraft microbial control and astronaut safety. However, there have been few reports of ARG profiles and their relationship with microbiomes in such environments. In the present study, we assessed the bacterial community and ARGs in the air dust and surface environments of a typical spacecraft assembly cleanroom. Our results show a significant difference in bacterial composition between surfaces and air dust, as they belong to two distinct ecostates. Bacillus and Acinetobacter were significantly enriched in the air samples. Bacterial community network analysis revealed lower topological parameters and robustness of bacterial networks in the air samples. We also observed different distribution patterns of some typical ARGs between surface and air dust samples. Notably, the ermB gene exhibited a relatively high copy number and was enriched in the surface environment, compared to that in the air. Overall, our study provides insight into the complex microbial community and the distribution and transfer of ARGs in spacecraft assembly cleanrooms, and offers important input for developing control strategies against ARGs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yueying Lu
- Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (Beihang University), Ministry of Education Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China; International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Jianlou Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (Beihang University), Ministry of Education Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China; International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Lantao Zhang
- Institute of Manned Space System and Engineering, China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing, 100094, China.
| | - Fangqi Chen
- Shen Yuan Honors College, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Pei Han
- Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100094, China.
| | - Yuming Fu
- Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (Beihang University), Ministry of Education Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China; State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China; International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology & Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Simpson AC, Sengupta P, Zhang F, Hameed A, Parker CW, Singh NK, Miliotis G, Rekha PD, Raman K, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Phylogenetic affiliations and genomic characterization of novel bacterial species and their abundance in the International Space Station. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3126314. [PMID: 37461605 PMCID: PMC10350232 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3126314/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background With the advent of long-term human habitation in space and on the moon, understanding how the built environment microbiome of space habitats differs from Earth habits, and how microbes survive, proliferate and spread in space conditions, is coming more and more important. The Microbial Tracking mission series has been monitoring the microbiome of the International Space Station (ISS) for almost a decade. During this mission series, six unique strains of Gram-positive bacteria, including two spore-forming and three non-spore-forming species, were isolated from the environmental surfaces of the International Space Station (ISS). Results The analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed <99% similarities with previously described bacterial species. To further explore their phylogenetic affiliation, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was undertaken. For all strains, the gyrB gene exhibited <93% similarity with closely related species, which proved effective in categorizing these ISS strains as novel species. Average ucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values, when compared to any known bacterial species, were less than <94% and 50% respectively for all species described here. Traditional biochemical tests, fatty acid profiling, polar lipid, and cell wall composition analyses were performed to generate phenotypic characterization of these ISS strains. A study of the shotgun metagenomic reads from the ISS samples, from which the novel species were isolated, showed that only 0.1% of the total reads mapped to the novel species, supporting the idea that these novel species are rare in the ISS environments. In-depth annotation of the genomes unveiled a variety of genes linked to amino acid and derivative synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, cofactors, vitamins, prosthetic groups, pigments, and protein metabolism. Further analysis of these ISS-isolated organisms revealed that, on average, they contain 46 genes associated with virulence, disease, and defense. The main predicted functions of these genes are: conferring resistance to antibiotics and toxic compounds, and enabling invasion and intracellular resistance. After conducting antiSMASH analysis, it was found that there are roughly 16 cluster types across the six strains, including β-lactone and type III polyketide synthase (T3PKS) clusters. Conclusions Based on these multi-faceted taxonomic methods, it was concluded that these six ISS strains represent five novel species, which we propose to name as follows: Arthrobacter burdickii IIF3SC-B10T (=NRRL B-65660T), Leifsonia virtsii, F6_8S_P_1AT (=NRRL B-65661T), Leifsonia williamsii, F6_8S_P_1BT (=NRRL B- 65662T and DSMZ 115932T), Paenibacillus vandeheii, F6_3S_P_1CT(=NRRL B-65663T and DSMZ 115940T), and Sporosarcina highlanderae F6_3S_P_2 T(=NRRL B-65664T and DSMZ 115943T). Identifying and characterizing the genomes and phenotypes of novel microbes found in space habitats, like those explored in this study, is integral for expanding our genomic databases of space-relevant microbes. This approach offers the only reliable method to determine species composition, track microbial dispersion, and anticipate potential threats to human health from monitoring microbes on the surfaces and equipment within space habitats. By unraveling these microbial mysteries, we take a crucial step towards ensuring the safety and success of future space missions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. Simpson
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Pratyay Sengupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Flora Zhang
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Asif Hameed
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya Deemed to be University, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Ceth W. Parker
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Nitin K. Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Georgios Miliotis
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Punchappady D. Rekha
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya Deemed to be University, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Karthik Raman
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Center for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Christopher E. Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and the WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
McDonagh F, Cormican M, Morris D, Burke L, Singh NK, Venkateswaran K, Miliotis G. Medical Astro-Microbiology: Current Role and Future Challenges. J Indian Inst Sci 2023; 103:1-26. [PMID: 37362850 PMCID: PMC10082442 DOI: 10.1007/s41745-023-00360-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The second and third decades of the twenty-first century are marked by a flourishing of space technology which may soon realise human aspirations of a permanent multiplanetary presence. The prevention, control and management of infection with microbial pathogens is likely to play a key role in how successful human space aspirations will become. This review considers the emerging field of medical astro-microbiology. It examines the current evidence regarding the risk of infection during spaceflight via host susceptibility, alterations to the host's microbiome as well as exposure to other crew members and spacecraft's microbiomes. It also considers the relevance of the hygiene hypothesis in this regard. It then reviews the current evidence related to infection risk associated with microbial adaptability in spaceflight conditions. There is a particular focus on the International Space Station (ISS), as one of the only two crewed objects in low Earth orbit. It discusses the effects of spaceflight related stressors on viruses and the infection risks associated with latent viral reactivation and increased viral shedding during spaceflight. It then examines the effects of the same stressors on bacteria, particularly in relation to changes in virulence and drug resistance. It also considers our current understanding of fungal adaptability in spaceflight. The global public health and environmental risks associated with a possible re-introduction to Earth of invasive species are also briefly discussed. Finally, this review examines the largely unknown microbiology and infection implications of celestial body habitation with an emphasis placed on Mars. Overall, this review summarises much of our current understanding of medical astro-microbiology and identifies significant knowledge gaps. Graphical Abstract
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca McDonagh
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Martin Cormican
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Galway University Hospitals, Galway, Ireland
| | - Dearbháile Morris
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Liam Burke
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Nitin Kumar Singh
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Kasthuri Venkateswaran
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Georgios Miliotis
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology Group, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|