Independent Research on UV-Resistant Skin Bacteria
Most people worry about sunburns and photoaging when they think of UV rays, but I wondered:
What if our skin’s own bacteria already have ways to protect us?
That question launched my project.
What I Did
- Collected skin microbiome data (before & after UV exposure) from the public SRA database.
- Found one bacterium that actually thrived in sunlight: Sphingomonas mucosissima.
- Grew the bacterium in the lab and extracted its metabolites (compounds it produces).
- Exposed human skin cells (HaCaT keratinocytes) to UVB light and tested whether the metabolites could help them survive.
Key Results
| Condition | Cell Survival | ROS (oxidative stress) | NF-κB (stress pathway) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control (no UV) | ✅ High | ✅ Normal | ✅ Low |
| UVB only | ❌ Low | ❌ High | ❌ Activated |
| UVB + S. mucosissima metabolites | 👍 Improved | 👍 Reduced | 👍 Suppressed |
Translation: The bacterial metabolites helped skin cells stay alive, reduced stress, and calmed down inflammation pathways.
