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Al-Daghistani HI, Zein S, Abbas MA. Microbial communities in the Dead Sea and their potential biotechnological applications. Commun Integr Biol 2024; 17:2369782. [PMID: 38919836 PMCID: PMC11197920 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2024.2369782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The Dead Sea is unique compared to other extreme halophilic habitats. Its salinity exceeds 34%, and it is getting saltier. The Dead Sea environment is characterized by a dominance of divalent cations, with magnesium chloride (MgCl2) levels approaching the predicted 2.3 M upper limit for life, an acidic pH of 6.0, and high levels of absorbed ultraviolet radiation. Consequently, only organisms adapted to such a polyextreme environment can survive in the surface, sinkholes, sediments, muds, and underwater springs of the Dead Sea. Metagenomic sequence analysis and amino acid profiling indicated that the Dead Sea is predominantly composed of halophiles that have various adaptation mechanisms and produce metabolites that can be utilized for biotechnological purposes. A variety of products have been obtained from halophilic microorganisms isolated from the Dead Sea, such as antimicrobials, bioplastics, biofuels, extremozymes, retinal proteins, colored pigments, exopolysaccharides, and compatible solutes. These resources find applications in agriculture, food, biofuel production, industry, and bioremediation for the detoxification of wastewater and soil. Utilizing halophiles as a bioprocessing platform offers advantages such as reduced energy consumption, decreased freshwater demand, minimized capital investment, and continuous production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala I. Al-Daghistani
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Sima Zein
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Manal A. Abbas
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan
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2
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Vance SD, Craft KL, Shock E, Schmidt BE, Lunine J, Hand KP, McKinnon WB, Spiers EM, Chivers C, Lawrence JD, Wolfenbarger N, Leonard EJ, Robinson KJ, Styczinski MJ, Persaud DM, Steinbrügge G, Zolotov MY, Quick LC, Scully JEC, Becker TM, Howell SM, Clark RN, Dombard AJ, Glein CR, Mousis O, Sephton MA, Castillo-Rogez J, Nimmo F, McEwen AS, Gudipati MS, Jun I, Jia X, Postberg F, Soderlund KM, Elder CM. Investigating Europa's Habitability with the Europa Clipper. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2023; 219:81. [PMID: 38046182 PMCID: PMC10687213 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-023-01025-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The habitability of Europa is a property within a system, which is driven by a multitude of physical and chemical processes and is defined by many interdependent parameters, so that its full characterization requires collaborative investigation. To explore Europa as an integrated system to yield a complete picture of its habitability, the Europa Clipper mission has three primary science objectives: (1) characterize the ice shell and ocean including their heterogeneity, properties, and the nature of surface-ice-ocean exchange; (2) characterize Europa's composition including any non-ice materials on the surface and in the atmosphere, and any carbon-containing compounds; and (3) characterize Europa's geology including surface features and localities of high science interest. The mission will also address several cross-cutting science topics including the search for any current or recent activity in the form of thermal anomalies and plumes, performing geodetic and radiation measurements, and assessing high-resolution, co-located observations at select sites to provide reconnaissance for a potential future landed mission. Synthesizing the mission's science measurements, as well as incorporating remote observations by Earth-based observatories, the James Webb Space Telescope, and other space-based resources, to constrain Europa's habitability, is a complex task and is guided by the mission's Habitability Assessment Board (HAB).
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D. Vance
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Kathleen L. Craft
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD USA
| | - Everett Shock
- School of Earth & Space Exploration and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA
| | - Britney E. Schmidt
- Department of Astronomy and Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
| | - Jonathan Lunine
- Department of Astronomy and Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
| | - Kevin P. Hand
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - William B. McKinnon
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Spiers
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Chase Chivers
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA USA
- Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | - Justin D. Lawrence
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA USA
- Honeybee Robotics, Altadena, CA USA
| | - Natalie Wolfenbarger
- Institute for Geophysics, John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Erin J. Leonard
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | | | | | - Divya M. Persaud
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Gregor Steinbrügge
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Mikhail Y. Zolotov
- School of Earth & Space Exploration and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA
| | | | | | | | - Samuel M. Howell
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | | | - Andrew J. Dombard
- Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | | | - Olivier Mousis
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille), Marseille, France
| | - Mark A. Sephton
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Francis Nimmo
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA USA
| | - Alfred S. McEwen
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
| | - Murthy S. Gudipati
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Insoo Jun
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Xianzhe Jia
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Frank Postberg
- Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Krista M. Soderlund
- Institute for Geophysics, John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Catherine M. Elder
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
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3
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Carré L, Gonzalez D, Girard É, Franzetti B. Effects of chaotropic salts on global proteome stability in halophilic archaea: Implications for life signatures on Mars. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2216-2230. [PMID: 37349893 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Halophilic archaea thriving in hypersaline environments, such as salt lakes, offer models for putative life in extraterrestrial brines such as those found on Mars. However, little is known about the effect of the chaotropic salts that could be found in such brines, such as MgCl2 , CaCl2 and (per)chlorate salts, on complex biological samples like cell lysates which could be expected to be more representative of biomarkers left behind putative extraterrestrial life forms. We used intrinsic fluorescence to study the salt dependence of proteomes extracted from five halophilic strains: Haloarcula marismortui, Halobacterium salinarum, Haloferax mediterranei, Halorubrum sodomense and Haloferax volcanii. These strains were isolated from Earth environments with different salt compositions. Among the five strains that were analysed, H. mediterranei stood out as a results of its high dependency on NaCl for its proteome stabilization. Interestingly, the results showed contrasting denaturation responses of the proteomes to chaotropic salts. In particular, the proteomes of strains that are most dependent or tolerant on MgCl2 for growth exhibited higher tolerance towards chaotropic salts that are abundant in terrestrial and Martian brines. These experiments bridge together global protein properties and environmental adaptation and help guide the search for protein-like biomarkers in extraterrestrial briny environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Carré
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Éric Girard
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, Grenoble, France
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4
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Bourhane Z, Cagnon C, Castañeda C, Rodríguez-Ochoa R, Álvaro-Fuentes J, Cravo-Laureau C, Duran R. Vertical organization of microbial communities in Salineta hypersaline wetland, Spain. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:869907. [PMID: 36778872 PMCID: PMC9911865 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.869907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities inhabiting hypersaline wetlands, well adapted to the environmental fluctuations due to flooding and desiccation events, play a key role in the biogeochemical cycles, ensuring ecosystem service. To better understand the ecosystem functioning, we studied soil microbial communities of Salineta wetland (NE Spain) in dry and wet seasons in three different landscape stations representing situations characteristic of ephemeral saline lakes: S1 soil usually submerged, S2 soil intermittently flooded, and S3 soil with halophytes. Microbial community composition was determined according to different redox layers by 16S rRNA gene barcoding. We observed reversed redox gradient, negative at the surface and positive in depth, which was identified by PERMANOVA as the main factor explaining microbial distribution. The Pseudomonadota, Gemmatimonadota, Bacteroidota, Desulfobacterota, and Halobacteriota phyla were dominant in all stations. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) revealed that the upper soil surface layer was characterized by the predominance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) affiliated to strictly or facultative anaerobic halophilic bacteria and archaea while the subsurface soil layer was dominated by an OTU affiliated to Roseibaca, an aerobic alkali-tolerant bacterium. In addition, the potential functional capabilities, inferred by PICRUSt2 analysis, involved in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles were similar in all samples, irrespective of the redox stratification, suggesting functional redundancy. Our findings show microbial community changes according to water flooding conditions, which represent useful information for biomonitoring and management of these wetlands whose extreme aridity and salinity conditions are exposed to irreversible changes due to human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeina Bourhane
- Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Pau, France
| | - Christine Cagnon
- Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Pau, France
| | | | - Rafael Rodríguez-Ochoa
- Departamento de Medio Ambiente y Ciencias del Suelo, Universidad de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | | | | | - Robert Duran
- Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Pau, France
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5
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Wolfenbarger NS, Buffo JJ, Soderlund KM, Blankenship DD. Ice Shell Structure and Composition of Ocean Worlds: Insights from Accreted Ice on Earth. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:937-961. [PMID: 35787145 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Accreted ice retains and preserves traces of the ocean from which it formed. In this work, we study two classes of accreted ice found on Earth-frazil ice, which forms through crystallization within a supercooled water column, and congelation ice, which forms through directional freezing at an existing interface-and discuss where each might be found in the ice shells of ocean worlds. We focus our study on terrestrial ice formed in low temperature gradient environments (e.g., beneath ice shelves), consistent with conditions expected at the ice-ocean interfaces of Europa and Enceladus, and we highlight the juxtaposition of compositional trends in relation to ice formed in higher temperature gradient environments (e.g., at the ocean surface). Observations from Antarctic sub-ice-shelf congelation ice and marine ice show that the purity of frazil ice can be nearly two orders of magnitude higher than congelation ice formed in the same low temperature gradient environment (∼0.1% vs. ∼10% of the ocean salinity). In addition, where congelation ice can maintain a planar ice-water interface on a microstructural scale, the efficiency of salt rejection is enhanced (∼1% of the ocean salinity) and lattice soluble impurities such as chloride are preferentially incorporated. We conclude that an ice shell that forms by gradual thickening as its interior cools would be composed of congelation ice, whereas frazil ice will accumulate where the ice shell thins on local (rifts and basal fractures) or regional (latitudinal gradients) scales through the operation of an "ice pump."
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob J Buffo
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Krista M Soderlund
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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6
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Buffo JJ, Brown EK, Pontefract A, Schmidt BE, Klempay B, Lawrence J, Bowman J, Grantham M, Glass JB, Plattner T, Chivers C, Doran P. The Bioburden and Ionic Composition of Hypersaline Lake Ices: Novel Habitats on Earth and Their Astrobiological Implications. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:962-980. [PMID: 35671513 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We present thermophysical, biological, and chemical observations of ice and brine samples from five compositionally diverse hypersaline lakes in British Columbia's interior plateau. Possessing a spectrum of magnesium, sodium, sulfate, carbonate, and chloride salts, these low-temperature high-salinity lakes are analogs for planetary ice-brine environments, including the ice shells of Europa and Enceladus and ice-brine systems on Mars. As such, understanding the thermodynamics and biogeochemistry of these systems can provide insights into the evolution, habitability, and detectability of high-priority astrobiology targets. We show that biomass is typically concentrated in a layer near the base of the ice cover, but that chemical and biological impurities are present throughout the ice. Coupling bioburden, ionic concentration, and seasonal temperature measurements, we demonstrate that impurity entrainment in the ice is directly correlated to ice formation rate and parent fluid composition. We highlight unique phenomena, including brine supercooling, salt hydrate precipitation, and internal brine layers in the ice cover, important processes to be considered for planetary ice-brine environments. These systems can be leveraged to constrain the distribution, longevity, and habitability of low-temperature solar system brines-relevant to interpreting spacecraft data and planning future missions in the lens of both planetary exploration and planetary protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob J Buffo
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Emma K Brown
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Pheonix, AZ, USA
| | | | | | | | - Justin Lawrence
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jeff Bowman
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Meg Grantham
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jennifer B Glass
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Taylor Plattner
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chase Chivers
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Peter Doran
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiung State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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7
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Kotsyurbenko OR, Cordova JA, Belov AA, Cheptsov VS, Kölbl D, Khrunyk YY, Kryuchkova MO, Milojevic T, Mogul R, Sasaki S, Słowik GP, Snytnikov V, Vorobyova EA. Exobiology of the Venusian Clouds: New Insights into Habitability through Terrestrial Models and Methods of Detection. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1186-1205. [PMID: 34255549 PMCID: PMC9545807 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The search for life beyond Earth has focused on Mars and the icy moons Europa and Enceladus, all of which are considered a safe haven for life due to evidence of current or past water. The surface of Venus, on the other hand, has extreme conditions that make it a nonhabitable environment to life as we know it. This is in contrast, however, to its cloud layer, which, while still an extreme environment, may prove to be a safe haven for some extreme forms of life similar to extremophiles on Earth. We consider the venusian clouds a habitable environment based on the presence of (1) a solvent for biochemical reactions, (2) appropriate physicochemical conditions, (3) available energy, and (4) biologically relevant elements. The diversity of extreme microbial ecosystems on Earth has allowed us to identify terrestrial chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms that may be analogs to putative venusian organisms. Here, we hypothesize and describe biological processes that may be performed by such organisms in the venusian clouds. To detect putative venusian organisms, we describe potential biosignature detection methods, which include metal-microbial interactions and optical methods. Finally, we describe currently available technology that can potentially be used for modeling and simulation experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg R. Kotsyurbenko
- Yugra State University, The Institute of Oil and Gas, School of Ecology, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russian Federation
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
| | - Jaime A. Cordova
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Andrey A. Belov
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir S. Cheptsov
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Denise Kölbl
- Space Biochemistry Group, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yuliya Y. Khrunyk
- Department of Heat Treatment and Physics of Metal, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
- M.N. Mikheev Institute of Metal Physics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
| | - Margarita O. Kryuchkova
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Tetyana Milojevic
- Space Biochemistry Group, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rakesh Mogul
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Satoshi Sasaki
- School of Biosciences and Biotechnology/School of Health Sciences, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Grzegorz P. Słowik
- Institute of Materials and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Valery Snytnikov
- Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
- Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
| | - Elena A. Vorobyova
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
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8
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Klempay B, Arandia-Gorostidi N, Dekas AE, Bartlett DH, Carr CE, Doran PT, Dutta A, Erazo N, Fisher LA, Glass JB, Pontefract A, Som SM, Wilson JM, Schmidt BE, Bowman JS. Microbial diversity and activity in Southern California salterns and bitterns: analogues for remnant ocean worlds. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:3825-3839. [PMID: 33621409 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Concurrent osmotic and chaotropic stress make MgCl2 -rich brines extremely inhospitable environments. Understanding the limits of life in these brines is essential to the search for extraterrestrial life on contemporary and relict ocean worlds, like Mars, which could host similar environments. We sequenced environmental 16S rRNA genes and quantified microbial activity across a broad range of salinity and chaotropicity at a Mars-analogue salt harvesting facility in Southern California, where seawater is evaporated in a series of ponds ranging from kosmotropic NaCl brines to highly chaotropic MgCl2 brines. Within NaCl brines, we observed a proliferation of specialized halophilic Euryarchaeota, which corresponded closely with the dominant taxa found in salterns around the world. These communities were characterized by very slow growth rates and high biomass accumulation. As salinity and chaotropicity increased, we found that the MgCl2 -rich brines eventually exceeded the limits of microbial activity. We found evidence that exogenous genetic material is preserved in these chaotropic brines, producing an unexpected increase in diversity in the presumably sterile MgCl2 -saturated brines. Because of their high potential for biomarker preservation, chaotropic brines could therefore serve as repositories of genetic biomarkers from nearby environments (both on Earth and beyond) making them prime targets for future life-detection missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Klempay
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | | | - Anne E Dekas
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Douglas H Bartlett
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Christopher E Carr
- Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.,School of Earth and Atmospheric Studies, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Peter T Doran
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Avishek Dutta
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Natalia Erazo
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Luke A Fisher
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jennifer B Glass
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Studies, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | | | - Sanjoy M Som
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98154, USA
| | - Jesse M Wilson
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Britney E Schmidt
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Studies, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Jeff S Bowman
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
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9
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George SF, Fierer N, Levy JS, Adams B. Antarctic Water Tracks: Microbial Community Responses to Variation in Soil Moisture, pH, and Salinity. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:616730. [PMID: 33584618 PMCID: PMC7873294 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.616730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ice-free soils in the McMurdo Dry Valleys select for taxa able to cope with challenging environmental conditions, including extreme chemical water activity gradients, freeze-thaw cycling, desiccation, and solar radiation regimes. The low biotic complexity of Dry Valley soils makes them well suited to investigate environmental and spatial influences on bacterial community structure. Water tracks are annually wetted habitats in the cold-arid soils of Antarctica that form briefly each summer with moisture sourced from snow melt, ground ice thaw, and atmospheric deposition via deliquescence and vapor flow into brines. Compared to neighboring arid soils, water tracks are highly saline and relatively moist habitats. They represent a considerable area (∼5–10 km2) of the Dry Valley terrestrial ecosystem, an area that is expected to increase with ongoing climate change. The goal of this study was to determine how variation in the environmental conditions of water tracks influences the composition and diversity of microbial communities. We found significant differences in microbial community composition between on- and off-water track samples, and across two distinct locations. Of the tested environmental variables, soil salinity was the best predictor of community composition, with members of the Bacteroidetes phylum being relatively more abundant at higher salinities and the Actinobacteria phylum showing the opposite pattern. There was also a significant, inverse relationship between salinity and bacterial diversity. Our results suggest water track formation significantly alters dry soil microbial communities, likely influencing subsequent ecosystem functioning. We highlight how Dry Valley water tracks could be a useful model system for understanding the potential habitability of transiently wetted environments found on the surface of Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott F George
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States
| | - Noah Fierer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Joseph S Levy
- Department of Geology, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, United States
| | - Byron Adams
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States.,Monte L. Bean Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States
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10
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Heinz J, Waajen AC, Airo A, Alibrandi A, Schirmack J, Schulze-Makuch D. Bacterial Growth in Chloride and Perchlorate Brines: Halotolerances and Salt Stress Responses of Planococcus halocryophilus. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1377-1387. [PMID: 31386567 PMCID: PMC6818489 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Extraterrestrial environments encompass physicochemical conditions and habitats that are unknown on Earth, such as perchlorate-rich brines that can be at least temporarily stable on the martian surface. To better understand the potential for life in these cold briny environments, we determined the maximum salt concentrations suitable for growth (MSCg) of six different chloride and perchlorate salts at 25°C and 4°C for the extremotolerant cold- and salt-adapted bacterial strain Planococcus halocryophilus. Growth was measured through colony-forming unit (CFU) counts, while cellular and colonial phenotypic stress responses were observed through visible light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Our data show the following: (1) The tolerance to high salt concentrations can be increased through a stepwise inoculation toward higher concentrations. (2) Ion-specific factors are more relevant for the growth limitation of P. halocryophilus in saline solutions than single physicochemical parameters like ionic strength or water activity. (3) P. halocryophilus shows the highest microbial sodium perchlorate tolerance described so far. However, (4) MSCg values are higher for all chlorides compared to perchlorates. (5) The MSCg for calcium chloride was increased by lowering the temperature from 25°C to 4°C, while sodium- and magnesium-containing salts can be tolerated at 25°C to higher concentrations than at 4°C. (6) Depending on salt type and concentration, P. halocryophilus cells show distinct phenotypic stress responses such as novel types of colony morphology on agar plates and biofilm-like cell clustering, encrustation, and development of intercellular nanofilaments. This study, taken in context with previous work on the survival of extremophiles in Mars-like environments, suggests that high-concentrated perchlorate brines on Mars might not be habitable to any present organism on Earth, but extremophilic microorganisms might be able to evolve thriving in such environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Heinz
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annemiek C. Waajen
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alessandro Airo
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Armando Alibrandi
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janosch Schirmack
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
- GFZ German Center for Geoscience, Section Geomicrobiology, Potsdam, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Experimental Limnology, Stechlin, Germany
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11
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dC Rubin SS, Marín I, Gómez MJ, Morales EA, Zekker I, San Martín-Uriz P, Rodríguez N, Amils R. Prokaryotic diversity and community composition in the Salar de Uyuni, a large scale, chaotropic salt flat. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:3745-3754. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 07/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio S. dC Rubin
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; CNIB; Bolivia
- Departamento de Biología Molecular; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco; Madrid 28049 Spain
| | - Irma Marín
- Departamento de Biología Molecular; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco; Madrid 28049 Spain
| | - Manuel J. Gómez
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Melchor Fernández Almagro 3; Madrid 28029 Spain
| | - Eduardo A. Morales
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; CNIB; Bolivia
- Herbario Criptogámico; Universidad Católica Boliviana; Cochabamba Bolivia
| | - Ivar Zekker
- Institute of Chemistry; University of Tartu; Tartu Estonia
| | | | - Nuria Rodríguez
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Torrejón de Ardoz; Madrid 28055 Spain
| | - Ricardo Amils
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; CNIB; Bolivia
- Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Torrejón de Ardoz; Madrid 28055 Spain
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM); Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; Madrid 28049 Spain
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12
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Zajc J, Džeroski S, Kocev D, Oren A, Sonjak S, Tkavc R, Gunde-Cimerman N. Chaophilic or chaotolerant fungi: a new category of extremophiles? Front Microbiol 2014; 5:708. [PMID: 25566222 PMCID: PMC4274975 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that few halophilic bacteria and archaea as well as certain fungi can grow at the highest concentrations of NaCl. However, data about possible life at extremely high concentrations of various others kosmotropic (stabilizing; like NaCl, KCl, and MgSO4) and chaotropic (destabilizing) salts (NaBr, MgCl2, and CaCl2) are scarce for prokaryotes and almost absent for the eukaryotic domain including fungi. Fungi from diverse (extreme) environments were tested for their ability to grow at the highest concentrations of kosmotropic and chaotropic salts ever recorded to support life. The majority of fungi showed preference for relatively high concentrations of kosmotropes. However, our study revealed the outstanding tolerance of several fungi to high concentrations of MgCl2 (up to 2.1 M) or CaCl2 (up to 2.0 M) without compensating kosmotropic salts. Few species, for instance Hortaea werneckii, Eurotium amstelodami, Eurotium chevalieri and Wallemia ichthyophaga, are able to thrive in media with the highest salinities of all salts (except for CaCl2 in the case of W. ichthyophaga). The upper concentration of MgCl2 to support fungal life in the absence of kosmotropes (2.1 M) is much higher than previously determined to be the upper limit for microbial growth (1.26 M). No fungal representatives showed exclusive preference for only chaotropic salts (being obligate chaophiles). Nevertheless, our study expands the knowledge of possible active life by a diverse set of fungi in biologically detrimental chaotropic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janja Zajc
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of LjubljanaLjubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sašo Džeroski
- Department of Knowledge Technologies, Jožef Stefan InstituteLjubljana, Slovenia
- Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins (CIPKeBiP)Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Dragi Kocev
- Department of Knowledge Technologies, Jožef Stefan InstituteLjubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aharon Oren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of JerusalemJerusalem, Israel
| | - Silva Sonjak
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of LjubljanaLjubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rok Tkavc
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of LjubljanaLjubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nina Gunde-Cimerman
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of LjubljanaLjubljana, Slovenia
- Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins (CIPKeBiP)Ljubljana, Slovenia
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13
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Häusler S, Weber M, Siebert C, Holtappels M, Noriega-Ortega BE, De Beer D, Ionescu D. Sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation in extremely steep salinity gradients formed by freshwater springs emerging into the Dead Sea. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2014; 90:956-69. [DOI: 10.1111/1574-6941.12449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Revised: 10/09/2014] [Accepted: 10/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Häusler
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology; Bremen Germany
| | - Miriam Weber
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology; Bremen Germany
- Elba Field Station; HYDRA Institute for Marine Sciences; Elba Italy
| | - Christian Siebert
- Department of Catchment Hydrology; Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research-UFZ; Halle/Saale Germany
| | | | | | - Dirk De Beer
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology; Bremen Germany
| | - Danny Ionescu
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology; Bremen Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries; IGB, Dep 3, Experimental Limnology; Stechlin Germany
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14
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Rummel JD, Beaty DW, Jones MA, Bakermans C, Barlow NG, Boston PJ, Chevrier VF, Clark BC, de Vera JPP, Gough RV, Hallsworth JE, Head JW, Hipkin VJ, Kieft TL, McEwen AS, Mellon MT, Mikucki JA, Nicholson WL, Omelon CR, Peterson R, Roden EE, Sherwood Lollar B, Tanaka KL, Viola D, Wray JJ. A new analysis of Mars "Special Regions": findings of the second MEPAG Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2). ASTROBIOLOGY 2014; 14:887-968. [PMID: 25401393 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2014.1227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
A committee of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) has reviewed and updated the description of Special Regions on Mars as places where terrestrial organisms might replicate (per the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy). This review and update was conducted by an international team (SR-SAG2) drawn from both the biological science and Mars exploration communities, focused on understanding when and where Special Regions could occur. The study applied recently available data about martian environments and about terrestrial organisms, building on a previous analysis of Mars Special Regions (2006) undertaken by a similar team. Since then, a new body of highly relevant information has been generated from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (launched in 2005) and Phoenix (2007) and data from Mars Express and the twin Mars Exploration Rovers (all 2003). Results have also been gleaned from the Mars Science Laboratory (launched in 2011). In addition to Mars data, there is a considerable body of new data regarding the known environmental limits to life on Earth-including the potential for terrestrial microbial life to survive and replicate under martian environmental conditions. The SR-SAG2 analysis has included an examination of new Mars models relevant to natural environmental variation in water activity and temperature; a review and reconsideration of the current parameters used to define Special Regions; and updated maps and descriptions of the martian environments recommended for treatment as "Uncertain" or "Special" as natural features or those potentially formed by the influence of future landed spacecraft. Significant changes in our knowledge of the capabilities of terrestrial organisms and the existence of possibly habitable martian environments have led to a new appreciation of where Mars Special Regions may be identified and protected. The SR-SAG also considered the impact of Special Regions on potential future human missions to Mars, both as locations of potential resources and as places that should not be inadvertently contaminated by human activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Rummel
- 1 Department of Biology, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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15
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Stevenson A, Burkhardt J, Cockell CS, Cray JA, Dijksterhuis J, Fox-Powell M, Kee TP, Kminek G, McGenity TJ, Timmis KN, Timson DJ, Voytek MA, Westall F, Yakimov MM, Hallsworth JE. Multiplication of microbes below 0.690 water activity: implications for terrestrial and extraterrestrial life. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:257-77. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Revised: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Stevenson
- Institute for Global Food Security; School of Biological Sciences; MBC; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL Northern Ireland
| | - Jürgen Burkhardt
- Plant Nutrition Group; Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation; University of Bonn; Karlrobert-Kreiten-Str. 13 D-53115 Bonn Germany
| | - Charles S. Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology; School of Physics and Astronomy; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh EH9 3JZ UK
| | - Jonathan A. Cray
- Institute for Global Food Security; School of Biological Sciences; MBC; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL Northern Ireland
| | - Jan Dijksterhuis
- CBS Fungal Biodiversity Centre; Uppsalalaan 8 CT 3584 Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Mark Fox-Powell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology; School of Physics and Astronomy; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh EH9 3JZ UK
| | - Terence P. Kee
- School of Chemistry; University of Leeds; Leeds LS2 9JT West Yorkshire UK
| | | | - Terry J. McGenity
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Essex; Colchester CO4 3SQ Essex UK
| | - Kenneth N. Timmis
- Institute of Microbiology; Technical University Braunschweig; Spielmannstrasse 7 D-38106 Braunschweig Germany
| | - David J. Timson
- Institute for Global Food Security; School of Biological Sciences; MBC; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL Northern Ireland
| | | | - Frances Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire; CNRS; Rue Charles Sadron; Centre de Recherches sur les Matériaux à Haute Température; 1D, avenue de la recherché scientifique 45071 Orléans Cedex 2 France
| | | | - John E. Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security; School of Biological Sciences; MBC; Queen's University Belfast; Belfast BT9 7BL Northern Ireland
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Häusler S, Weber M, de Beer D, Ionescu D. Spatial distribution of diatom and cyanobacterial mats in the Dead Sea is determined by response to rapid salinity fluctuations. Extremophiles 2014; 18:1085-94. [PMID: 25138278 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-014-0686-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria and diatom mats are ubiquitous in hypersaline environments but have never been observed in the Dead Sea, one of the most hypersaline lakes on Earth. Here we report the discovery of phototrophic microbial mats at underwater freshwater seeps in the Dead Sea. These mats are either dominated by diatoms or unicellular cyanobacteria and are spatially separated. Using in situ and ex situ O2 microsensor measurements we show that these organisms are photosynthetically active in their natural habitat. The diatoms, which are phylogenetically associated to the Navicula genus, grew in culture at salinities up to 40 % Dead Sea water (DSW) (14 % total dissolved salts, TDS). The unicellular cyanobacteria belong to the extremely halotolerant Euhalothece genus and grew at salinities up to 70 % DSW (24.5 % TDS). As suggested by a variable O2 penetration depth measured in situ, the organisms are exposed to drastic salinity fluctuations ranging from brackish to DSW salinity within minutes to hours. We could demonstrate that both phototrophs are able to withstand such extreme short-term fluctuations. Nevertheless, while the diatoms recover better from rapid fluctuations, the cyanobacteria cope better with long-term exposure to DSW. We conclude that the main reason for the development of these microbial mats is a local dilution of the hypersaline Dead Sea to levels allowing growth. Their spatial distribution in the seeping areas is a result of different recovery rates from short or long-term fluctuation in salinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Häusler
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstrasse 1, 28211, Bremen, Germany
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Häusler S, Noriega-Ortega BE, Polerecky L, Meyer V, de Beer D, Ionescu D. Microenvironments of reduced salinity harbour biofilms in Dead Sea underwater springs. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2014; 6:152-158. [PMID: 24596288 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The Dead Sea is a hypersaline lake where only few types of organisms can grow. Recently, abundant and diverse microbial life was discovered in biofilms covering rocks and permeable sediments around underwater freshwater springs and seeps. We used a newly developed salinity mini-sensor (spatial resolution 300 μm) to investigate the salinity environment around these biofilms in a flume that simulates an underwater spring. Compared with the hypersaline bulk water, salinity at the sediment surface decreased to zero at seeping velocities of 7 cm s(-1). At similar flow velocities, salinity above rocks decreased to 100-200 g L(-1) at a distance of 300 μm from the surface. This depended on the position on the rock, and coincided with locations of natural biofilms. The salinity reduction substantially diminished at flow velocities of 3.5 cm s(-1). We suggest that locally decreased salinity due to freshwater input is one of the main factors that make areas around underwater freshwater springs and seeps in the Dead Sea more favourable for life. However, due to frequent fluctuations in the freshwater flow, the locally decreased salinity is unstable. Therefore, microorganisms that inhabit these environments must be capable of withstanding large and rapid salinity fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Häusler
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
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