Niallia tiangongensis
| Niallia tiangongensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Bacillati |
| Phylum: | Bacillota |
| Class: | Bacilli |
| Order: | Bacillales |
| Family: | Bacillaceae |
| Genus: | Niallia |
| Species: | N. tiangongensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Niallia tiangongensis Yuan et al. 2025
| |
Niallia tiangongensis is a Gram-positive, aerobic, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium belonging to the genus Niallia within the family Bacillaceae. It was first isolated from surface samples collected aboard the Tiangong space station during China's Shenzhou-15 mission in May 2023. The species was formally described in 2025 following genomic and phenotypic analyses.[1][2][3]
Discovery
Samples leading to the identification of N. tiangongensis were obtained from the surface of hardware within the Tiangong space station as part of the China Space Station Habitation Area Microbiome Program (CHAMP). The collected samples were returned to Earth for analysis, where the strain was isolated and characterized.[1][2]
Significance
The discovery of N. tiangongensis underscores the importance of monitoring microbial communities in space habitats. Understanding the adaptations of such microbes can inform strategies to mitigate potential risks to astronaut health and spacecraft integrity during long-duration missions.[1][4]
The species is particularly adept at metabolizing gelatin.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Yuan, Junxia; Zhang, Wende; Dang, Lei; Song, Yan; Yin, Zhao; He, Ziwei; Xu, Kanyan; Guo, Pei; Yin, Hong (March 2025). "Niallia tiangongensis sp. nov., isolated from the China Space Station". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 75 (3). doi:10.1099/ijsem.0.006693. PMID 40029317.
- ^ a b Jones, Andrew (2025-05-21). "New species of space-adapted bacteria discovered on China's Tiangong space station". Space. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
- ^ Garay, Jorge. "New Bacteria Have Been Discovered on a Chinese Space Station". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
- ^ Turner, Ben (2025-05-20). "Unknown strain of bacteria found on China's Tiangong Space Station — and it's developing resistance to space". Live Science. Retrieved 2025-05-22.