Characterization of the Survival Ability of Cupriavidus metallidurans and Ralstonia pickettii from Space-Related Environments

• Published in: Microbial ecology 2013-02, Vol.65 (2), p.347-360
• Main Authors: Mijnendonckx, K., Provoost, A., Ott, C. M., Venkateswaran, K., Mahillon, J., Leys, N., Van Houdt, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Bacteria; Biofilms; Biofilms - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cupriavidus; Cupriavidus - drug effects; Cupriavidus - genetics; Cupriavidus - growth & development; Cupriavidus - isolation & purification; Cupriavidus - radiation effects; Disinfection; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Drinking water; Drinking Water - microbiology; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Ecology; Environment, Controlled; ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, Bacterial; Geoecology/Natural Processes; Life Sciences; Microbial Ecology; Microbiology; Nature Conservation; Phylogeny; Plasmids; Plasmids - genetics; Polymerase chain reaction; Potable water; Ralstonia; Ralstonia pickettii; Ralstonia pickettii - drug effects; Ralstonia pickettii - genetics; Ralstonia pickettii - growth & development; Ralstonia pickettii - isolation & purification; Ralstonia pickettii - radiation effects; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Silver; Silver - pharmacology; Spacecraft; Sterilization; Ultraviolet Rays; Water Quality/Water Pollution
• ISSN: 0095-3628; 1432-184X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00248-012-0139-2

Four Cupriavidus metallidurans and eight Ralstonia pickettii isolates from the space industry and the International Space Station (ISS) were characterized in detail. Nine of the 12 isolates were able to form a biofilm on plastics and all were resistant to several antibiotics. R. pickettii isolates from the surface of the Mars Orbiter prior to flight were 2.5 times more resistant to UV-C 254nm radiation compared to the R. pickettii type strain. All isolates showed moderate to high tolerance against at least seven different metal ions. They were tolerant to medium to high silver concentrations (0.5—4 μM), which are higher than the ionic silver disinfectant concentrations measured regularly in the drinking water aboard the ISS. Furthermore, all isolates survived a 23-month exposure to 2 μM AgNO 3 in drinking water. These resistance properties are putatively encoded by their endogenous megaplasmids. This study demonstrated that extreme resistance is not required to withstand the disinfection and sterilization procedures implemented in the ISS and space industry. All isolates acquired moderate to high tolerance against several stressors and can grow in oligotrophic conditions, enabling them to persist in these environments.