Simulated microgravity presents multiple physiological stressors for astronauts, including bone demineralization, muscle loss, and weakening of the immune system (Chavez et al., 2024). Bacteria serve ..
Simulated microgravity presents multiple physiological stressors for astronauts, including bone demineralization, muscle loss, and weakening of the immune system (Chavez et al., 2024). Bacteria serve as viable model organisms to study physiological changes because of their abundance in the human digestive system and skin. Motility in bacteria plays a significant role in cell survival, but few studies have been conducted on microgravity’s effect on motility phenotypes. While motile strains like K12 have been studied extensively under microgravity conditions (Topolski et al., 2022; Chavez et al., 2024), the effects of simulated microgravity on non-motile strains are largely unknown. To better understand this relationship, the nonmotile E. coli MG1655 strain was inoculated and exposed to simulated microgravity via a 2D clinostat to study growth, biofilm development, and behavior under osmotic stress conditions. Results from this experiment suggest significant changes in phenotypical expression occur in a microgravity environment, which presents potential implications for adverse effects to the human gut and skin microbiota like increased cell inhibition and virulence.
