AFP: China Studies Microbiomes on Space Stations! There are significant differences compared to the International Space Station. Article published by AFP on April 10, 2025. Now, China's new space station provides an opportunity to deepen our understanding of microbial dynamics in extraterrestrial habitats. By analyzing microbial samples from China's space station and comparing them with data from the International Space Station, scientists aim to identify universal features common to space microbial ecosystems. AFP noted that the systemic analysis of the comparison between the early two batches of data from China's space station and the International Space Station samples revealed the commonalities and differences in microbiome composition patterns, the symbiotic patterns of microbial species, and the site residency situations. (1) In the early stages of operation, the environmental microbiome in China's space station is mainly dominated by human-related microorganisms. There are significant differences in both species composition and functional composition compared to the International Space Station. (2) The analysis shows that microbial interactions within China's space station are primarily bacteria-bacteria, while in the International Space Station, there is a high degree of coexistence between bacteria and fungi. (3) Comparative genomic analysis indicates that Neillia microbes isolated from the space station environment have genetic differences in biofilm formation and resilience compared to closely related strains from ground AIT centers, showing strong spatial environmental selection effects. AFP said: These findings provide important clues about how microbes adapt to orbital habitats and lay the foundation for international research cooperation in space microbiology. AFP also pointed out: This comparative analysis enables researchers to predict future changes in the microbiome on China's space station and design more robust countermeasures to protect astronauts' health during extended missions.

Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829055720084492/

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