Spaceworms

Spaceflight exposes organisms to unprecedented environmental stresses, including microgravity and reduced exposure to muons.  These conditions are known to impact immune functions and hence may influence the severity of viral infections.  This study investigates the effects of microgravity and below-background radiation on Orsay virus infections in Caenorhabditis elegans.  We assessed various worm fitness-related and developmental traits under a fully factorial combination of standard gravity, microgravity, standard radiation, and below-background radiation conditions.  Our findings reveal that microgravity and below-background radiation differentially affect fecundity, with significant impacts on reproductive success and developmental abnormalities in infected worms.  Additionally, the interaction between these environmental factors and viral infection led to complex effects on viral accumulation, which were altered under below-background radiation but reduced in microgravity.  These results provide new insights into the interplay between abiotic stresses and viral infections in space, emphasizing the need for further research on the long-term impacts of spaceflight on immune function and pathogen-host interactions.