Investigation of the growth rate and antibiotic production of Marine Actinobacteria in the International Space Station

The present experiment investigates the behavior of marine actinobacteria in the International Space Station (ISS). More specifically, the aim of the experiment is to examine the growth rate and antibiotic production of the actinobacteria and as a result the correlation between the growth rate and the viscosity of the liquid (mix of actinobacteria and nutrient agar). The experiment is performed in cooperation with Nanoracks and launched via Falcon 9, Space – X and remained in the ISS for a 90-day time period under constant temperature (4 degree Celsius), being stirred by the astronauts on a weekly basis. There is a medical and pharmacological interest since marine actinobacteria are a source of bioactive natural and antibiotic products, beneficial for the human organism, producing a variety of secondary metabolites. The experiment in the ISS indicates growth similar to the experiment on Earth, with slightly higher values showing that the bacteria survived the microgravity conditions. The viscosity is slightly greater in the ISS, potentially due to the change in the density of the liquid, following the growth of the bacteria.