Search for a command to run...
Silencing the Space Invaders: Disrupting Quorum Sensing to Halt Microbial Virulence in Space Heather Mari Hall Alcala and Alba Chavez Department of Human factors and Neurobiology, College of Arts and Sciences, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. 1 Aerospace Blvd, Daytona Beach, 32114, FL, USA. Previous research has identified virulence properties in fungal isolates from the International Space Station (ISS) mycobiome, highlighting significant health risks to astronauts during long-term missions. Yeasts exposed to space conditions exhibit enhanced resilience to extreme environments, including microgravity and radiation, while showing increased expression of virulence-related phenotypes such as filamentation, biofilm formation, and community development. Microbial communication via quorum sensing is a key regulator of these pathogenic traits. Alarmingly, fungal isolates from the ISS have demonstrated resistance to multiple antifungal agents, emphasizing the need for innovative therapeutic strategies. This study investigates the potential of quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) to disrupt microbial signaling pathways, aiming to prevent biofilm formation and toxin production in space-adapted fungi. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods is employed. Qualitative analyses include microscopy to assess morphological alterations and growth on selective media to evaluate colony characteristics. Quantitative assays involve determining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in 96-well microplates to evaluate the antifungal efficacy of ten candidate QSIs. Preliminary findings reveal that tyrosol and berberine exhibit the most pronounced effects, significantly inhibiting quorum sensing pathways, reducing filamentation, and impairing fungal biofilm development. By targeting microbial communication rather than directly attacking cellular structures, QSIs offer a promising avenue for controlling fungal pathogenicity under the unique conditions of space. These findings contribute to the development of innovative countermeasures to safeguard astronaut health on future deep-space missions and underscore the broader potential of quorum sensing disruption as a novel antimicrobial strategy.