Methylobacterium species help to promote plant growth and are commonly found in soils on Earth.
Experts from NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) believe the strains could help create the fuel needed for plant growth on Mars when humans eventually arrive.
Mars and Earth s soil obviously differ in many ways.
NASA: Unknown bacteria found on the ISS - and it could help with the move to Mars (Image: GETTY)
Mars soil differs massively to Earth s (Image: GETTY)
One of the main differences is that Earth s soil has much more moisture, which is better suited for plant growth.
But by creating a resilient fuel which can withstand the harsh Martian environment, it could help with colonisation of the Red Planet, according to the research published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.