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Deinococcus radiodurans, sometimes nicknamed “Conan the Bacterium,” is famous for its extraordinary resistance to radiation and extreme environmental conditions.

As part of Japan's Tanpopo mission, researchers placed dried aggregates of D. radiodurans on exposure panels attached to the outside of the International Space Station.

The bacteria were exposed to the space environment for up to 3 years.

The result: dried bacterial aggregates at least 500 μm thick still contained viable cells after 3 years. The cells had suffered DNA damage, but when returned to laboratory conditions, the surviving bacteria were able to repair the damage and grow again.

The researchers found that being in an aggregate was crucial. UV radiation heavily damaged the cells at the surface, while the material underneath provided protection for cells deeper inside.

The study doesn't prove that bacteria can travel between planets. However, the researchers concluded that microbial aggregates could potentially survive several years in space, which is relevant to the scientific study of panspermia.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32983036/

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