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Jehlička J, Oren A, Vítek P, Wierzchos J. Microbial colonization of gypsum: from the fossil record to the present day. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1397437. [PMID: 39228380 PMCID: PMC11368868 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1397437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms inhabiting gypsum have been observed in environments that differ greatly in water availability. Gypsum colonized by microorganisms, including cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, and diverse heterotrophic communities, occurs in hot, arid or even hyperarid environments, in cold environments of the Antarctic and Arctic zones, and in saline and hypersaline lakes and ponds where gypsum precipitates. Fossilized microbial remnants preserved in gypsum were also reported. Gypsum protects the endolithic microbial communities against excessive insolation and ultraviolet radiation, while allowing photosynthetically active radiation to penetrate through the mineral substrate. We here review the worldwide occurrences of microbially colonized gypsum and the specific properties of gypsum related to its function as a substrate and habitat for microbial life on Earth and possibly beyond. Methods for detecting and characterizing endolithic communities and their biomarkers in gypsum are discussed, including microscopic, spectroscopic, chemical, and molecular biological techniques. The modes of adaptation of different microorganisms to life within gypsum crystals under different environmental conditions are described. Finally, we discuss gypsum deposits as possible targets for the search for microbial life or its remnants beyond Earth, especially on Mars, where sulfate-rich deposits occur, and propose strategies to detect them during space exploration missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Jehlička
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Aharon Oren
- Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Petr Vítek
- Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jacek Wierzchos
- Departamento e Biogeoquímica y Ecología Microbiana, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Hidalgo-Arias A, Muñoz-Hisado V, Valles P, Geyer A, Garcia-Lopez E, Cid C. Adaptation of the Endolithic Biome in Antarctic Volcanic Rocks. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13824. [PMID: 37762127 PMCID: PMC10530270 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Endolithic microorganisms, ranging from microeukaryotes to bacteria and archaea, live within the cracks and crevices of rocks. Deception Island in Antarctica constitutes an extreme environment in which endoliths face environmental threats such as intense cold, lack of light in winter, high solar radiation in summer, and heat emitted as the result of volcanic eruptions. In addition, the endolithic biome is considered the harshest one on Earth, since it suffers added threats such as dryness or lack of nutrients. Even so, samples from this hostile environment, collected at various points throughout the island, hosted diverse and numerous microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, diatoms, ciliates, flagellates and unicellular algae. These endoliths were first identified by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). To understand the molecular mechanisms of adaptation of these endoliths to their environment, genomics techniques were used, and prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms were identified by metabarcoding, sequencing the V3-V4 and V4-V5 regions of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes, respectively. Subsequently, the sequences were analyzed by bioinformatic methods that allow their metabolism to be deduced from the taxonomy. The results obtained concluded that some of these microorganisms have activated the biosynthesis routes of pigments such as prodigiosin or flavonoids. These adaptation studies also revealed that microorganisms defend themselves against environmental toxins by activating metabolic pathways for the degradation of compounds such as ethylbenzene, xylene and dioxins and for the biosynthesis of antioxidant molecules such as glutathione. Finally, these Antarctic endolithic microorganisms are of great interest in astrobiology since endolithic settings are environmentally analogous to the primitive Earth or the surfaces of extraterrestrial bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Hidalgo-Arias
- Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; (A.H.-A.); (V.M.-H.); (E.G.-L.)
| | - Víctor Muñoz-Hisado
- Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; (A.H.-A.); (V.M.-H.); (E.G.-L.)
| | - Pilar Valles
- Materials and Structures Department, National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Adelina Geyer
- Geosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN), CSIC, Lluís Solé Sabarís s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Eva Garcia-Lopez
- Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; (A.H.-A.); (V.M.-H.); (E.G.-L.)
| | - Cristina Cid
- Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain; (A.H.-A.); (V.M.-H.); (E.G.-L.)
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3
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Tzuan GTH, Hashim FH, Raj T, Baseri Huddin A, Sajab MS. Oil Palm Fruits Ripeness Classification Based on the Characteristics of Protein, Lipid, Carotene, and Guanine/Cytosine from the Raman Spectra. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:1936. [PMID: 35893639 PMCID: PMC9331806 DOI: 10.3390/plants11151936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The capacity of palm oil production is directly affected by the ripeness of the fresh fruit bunches (FFB) upon harvesting. Conventional harvesting standards rely on rigid harvesting scheduling as well as the number of fruitlets that have loosened from the bunch. Harvesting is usually done every 10 to 14 days, and an FFB is deemed ready to be harvested if there are around 5 to 10 empty sockets on the fruit bunch. Technology aided by imaging techniques relies heavily on the color of the fruit bunch, which is highly dependent on the surrounding light intensities. In this study, Raman spectroscopy is used for ripeness classification of oil palm fruits, based on the molecular assignments extracted from the Raman bands between 1240 cm-1 and 1360 cm-1. The Raman spectra of 52 oil palm fruit samples which contain the fingerprints of different organic compounds were collected. Signal processing was applied to perform baseline correction and to reduce background noises. Characteristic data of the organic compounds were extracted through deconvolution and curve fitting processes. Subsequently, a correlation study between organic compounds was developed and eight hidden Raman peaks including protein, beta carotene, carotene, lipid, guanine/cytosine, chlorophyll-a, and tryptophan were successfully located. Through ANOVA statistical analysis, a total of six peak intensities from proteins through Amide III (β-sheet), beta-carotene, carotene, lipid, guanine/cytosine, and carotene and one peak location from lipid were found to be significant. An automated oil palm fruit ripeness classification system deployed with artificial neural network (ANN) using the seven signification features showed an overall performance of 97.9% accuracy. An efficient and accurate ripeness classification model which uses seven significant Raman peak features from the correlation analysis between organic compounds was successfully developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Tan Hong Tzuan
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; (G.T.H.T.); (T.R.); (A.B.H.)
| | - Fazida Hanim Hashim
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; (G.T.H.T.); (T.R.); (A.B.H.)
- Research Centre for Sustainable Process Technology (CESPRO), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia;
| | - Thinal Raj
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; (G.T.H.T.); (T.R.); (A.B.H.)
| | - Aqilah Baseri Huddin
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; (G.T.H.T.); (T.R.); (A.B.H.)
| | - Mohd Shaiful Sajab
- Research Centre for Sustainable Process Technology (CESPRO), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia;
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
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Lalla EA, Konstantinidis M, Veneranda M, Daly MG, Manrique JA, Lymer EA, Freemantle J, Cloutis EA, Stromberg JM, Shkolyar S, Caudill C, Applin D, Vago JL, Rull F, Lopez-Reyes G. Raman Characterization of the CanMars Rover Field Campaign Samples Using the Raman Laser Spectrometer ExoMars Simulator: Implications for Mars and Planetary Exploration. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:416-438. [PMID: 35041521 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover landed on February 18, 2021, and has started ground operations. The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will touch down on June 10, 2023. Perseverance will be the first-ever Mars sample caching mission-a first step in sample return to Earth. SuperCam and Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) on Perseverance, and Raman Laser Spectrometer (RLS) on Rosalind Franklin, will comprise the first ever in situ planetary mission Raman spectroscopy instruments to identify rocks, minerals, and potential organic biosignatures on Mars' surface. There are many challenges associated when using Raman instruments and the optimization and quantitative analysis of resulting data. To understand how best to overcome them, we performed a comprehensive Raman analysis campaign on CanMars, a Mars sample caching rover analog mission undertaken in Hanksville, Utah, USA, in 2016. The Hanksville region presents many similarities to Oxia Planum's past habitable conditions, including liquid water, flocculent, and elemental compounds (such as clays), catalysts, substrates, and energy/food sources for life. We sampled and conducted a complete band analysis of Raman spectra as mission validation analysis with the RLS ExoMars Simulator or RLS Sim, a breadboard setup representative of the ExoMars RLS instrument. RLS Sim emulates the operational behavior of RLS on the Rosalind Franklin rover. Given the high fidelity of the Mars analog site and the RLS Sim, the results presented here may provide important information useful for guiding in situ analysis and sample triage for caching relevant for the Perseverance and Rosalind Franklin missions. By using the RLS Sim on CanMars samples, our measurements detected oxides, sulfates, nitrates, carbonates, feldspars, and carotenoids, many with a higher degree of sensitivity than past results. Future work with the RLS Sim will aim to continue developing and improving the capability of the RLS system in the future ExoMars mission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel A Lalla
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Menelaos Konstantinidis
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Marco Veneranda
- Unidad Asociada Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC-CAB, Boecillo, Spain
| | - Michael G Daly
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Elizabeth A Lymer
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - James Freemantle
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Edward A Cloutis
- Department of Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Jessica M Stromberg
- Department of Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Canada
- CSIRO Mineral Resources, Kensington, Australia
| | - Svetlana Shkolyar
- Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, Maryland, USA
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christy Caudill
- Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration/Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Daniel Applin
- Department of Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Jorge L Vago
- European Space Agency, ESA/ESTEC (SCI-S), Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | - Fernando Rull
- Unidad Asociada Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC-CAB, Boecillo, Spain
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Harrison JP, Berry D. Vibrational Spectroscopy for Imaging Single Microbial Cells in Complex Biological Samples. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:675. [PMID: 28450860 PMCID: PMC5390015 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrational spectroscopy is increasingly used for the rapid and non-destructive imaging of environmental and medical samples. Both Raman and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) imaging have been applied to obtain detailed information on the chemical composition of biological materials, ranging from single microbial cells to tissues. Due to its compatibility with methods such as stable isotope labeling for the monitoring of cellular activities, vibrational spectroscopy also holds considerable power as a tool in microbial ecology. Chemical imaging of undisturbed biological systems (such as live cells in their native habitats) presents unique challenges due to the physical and chemical complexity of the samples, potential for spectral interference, and frequent need for real-time measurements. This Mini Review provides a critical synthesis of recent applications of Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy for characterizing complex biological samples, with a focus on developments in single-cell imaging. We also discuss how new spectroscopic methods could be used to overcome current limitations of single-cell analyses. Given the inherent complementarity of Raman and FT-IR spectroscopic methods, we discuss how combining these approaches could enable us to obtain new insights into biological activities either in situ or under conditions that simulate selected properties of the natural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse P Harrison
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network "Chemistry Meets Microbiology", University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - David Berry
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network "Chemistry Meets Microbiology", University of ViennaVienna, Austria
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Rolfe SM, Patel MR, Gilmour I, Olsson-Francis K, Ringrose TJ. Defining Multiple Characteristic Raman Bands of α-Amino Acids as Biomarkers for Planetary Missions Using a Statistical Method. ORIGINS LIFE EVOL B 2016; 46:323-46. [PMID: 26744263 PMCID: PMC4764629 DOI: 10.1007/s11084-015-9477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Biomarker molecules, such as amino acids, are key to discovering whether life exists elsewhere in the Solar System. Raman spectroscopy, a technique capable of detecting biomarkers, will be on board future planetary missions including the ExoMars rover. Generally, the position of the strongest band in the spectra of amino acids is reported as the identifying band. However, for an unknown sample, it is desirable to define multiple characteristic bands for molecules to avoid any ambiguous identification. To date, there has been no definition of multiple characteristic bands for amino acids of interest to astrobiology. This study examined L-alanine, L-aspartic acid, L-cysteine, L-glutamine and glycine and defined several Raman bands per molecule for reference as characteristic identifiers. Per amino acid, 240 spectra were recorded and compared using established statistical tests including ANOVA. The number of characteristic bands defined were 10, 12, 12, 14 and 19 for L-alanine (strongest intensity band: 832 cm(-1)), L-aspartic acid (938 cm(-1)), L-cysteine (679 cm(-1)), L-glutamine (1090 cm(-1)) and glycine (875 cm(-1)), respectively. The intensity of bands differed by up to six times when several points on the crystal sample were rotated through 360 °; to reduce this effect when defining characteristic bands for other molecules, we find that spectra should be recorded at a statistically significant number of points per sample to remove the effect of sample rotation. It is crucial that sets of characteristic Raman bands are defined for biomarkers that are targets for future planetary missions to ensure a positive identification can be made.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Rolfe
- Planetary and Space Sciences, Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Robert Hooke Building, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.
| | - M R Patel
- Planetary and Space Sciences, Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Robert Hooke Building, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
- Space Science and Technology Department, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - I Gilmour
- Planetary and Space Sciences, Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Robert Hooke Building, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - K Olsson-Francis
- Department of Environment, Earth and Ecosystems, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - T J Ringrose
- Planetary and Space Sciences, Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Robert Hooke Building, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
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8
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Storme JY, Golubic S, Wilmotte A, Kleinteich J, Velázquez D, Javaux EJ. Raman Characterization of the UV-Protective Pigment Gloeocapsin and Its Role in the Survival of Cyanobacteria. ASTROBIOLOGY 2015; 15:843-857. [PMID: 26406539 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular UV-screening pigments gloeocapsin and scytonemin present in the exopolysaccharide (EPS) envelopes of extremophilic cyanobacteria of freshwater and marine environments were studied by Raman spectroscopy and compared to their intracellular photosynthetic pigments. This Raman spectral analysis of the extracellular pigment gloeocapsin showed that it shared Raman spectral signatures with parietin, a radiation-protective pigment known in lichens. The UV-light spectra also show similarities. Gloeocapsin occurs in some cyanobacterial species, mostly with exclusion of scytonemin, indicating that these pigments have evolved in cyanobacteria as separate protective strategies. Both gloeocapsin and scytonemin are widely and species-specifically distributed in different cyanobacterial genera and families. The widespread occurrence of these pigments may suggest an early origin, while their detection by Raman spectroscopy makes them potential biosignatures for cyanobacteria in the fossil record and demonstrates the usefulness of nondestructive Raman spectroscopy analyses for the search for complex organics, including possible photosynthetic pigments, if preservable in early Earth and extraterrestrial samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Yves Storme
- 1 Palaeobiogeology, Palaeobotany, Palaeopalynology, Department of Geology, University of Liege , Liege, Belgium
| | - Stjepko Golubic
- 1 Palaeobiogeology, Palaeobotany, Palaeopalynology, Department of Geology, University of Liege , Liege, Belgium
- 2 Biological Science Center, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- 3 Center for Protein Engineering, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liege , Liege, Belgium
| | - Annick Wilmotte
- 3 Center for Protein Engineering, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liege , Liege, Belgium
| | - Julia Kleinteich
- 3 Center for Protein Engineering, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liege , Liege, Belgium
| | - David Velázquez
- 3 Center for Protein Engineering, Department of Life Sciences, University of Liege , Liege, Belgium
| | - Emmanuelle J Javaux
- 1 Palaeobiogeology, Palaeobotany, Palaeopalynology, Department of Geology, University of Liege , Liege, Belgium
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Harris LV, Hutchinson IB, Ingley R, Marshall CP, Olcott Marshall A, Edwards HG. Selection of Portable Spectrometers for Planetary Exploration: A Comparison of 532 nm and 785 nm Raman Spectroscopy of Reduced Carbon in Archean Cherts. ASTROBIOLOGY 2015; 15:420-9. [PMID: 26060980 PMCID: PMC4490632 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2014.1220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge and understanding of the martian environment has advanced greatly over the past two decades, beginning with NASA's return to the surface of Mars with the Pathfinder mission and its rover Sojourner in 1997 and continuing today with data being returned by the Curiosity rover. Reduced carbon, however, is yet to be detected on the martian surface, despite its abundance in meteorites originating from the planet. If carbon is detected on Mars, it could be a remnant of extinct life, although an abiotic source is much more likely. If the latter is the case, environmental carbonaceous material would still provide a source of carbon that could be utilized by microbial life for biochemical synthesis and could therefore act as a marker for potential habitats, indicating regions that should be investigated further. For this reason, the detection and characterization of reduced or organic carbon is a top priority for both the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars rover, currently due for launch in 2018, and for NASA's Mars 2020 mission. Here, we present a Raman spectroscopic study of Archean chert Mars analog samples from the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. Raman spectra were acquired with a flight-representative 532 nm instrument and a 785 nm instrument with similar operating parameters. Reduced carbon was successfully detected with both instruments; however, its Raman bands were detected more readily with 785 nm excitation, and the corresponding spectra exhibited superior signal-to-noise ratios and reduced background levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam V. Harris
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Ian B. Hutchinson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Richard Ingley
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Hutchinson IB, Ingley R, Edwards HGM, Harris L, McHugh M, Malherbe C, Parnell J. Raman spectroscopy on Mars: identification of geological and bio-geological signatures in Martian analogues using miniaturized Raman spectrometers. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2014; 372:rsta.2014.0204. [PMID: 25368350 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2014.0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The first Raman spectrometers to be used for in situ analysis of planetary material will be launched as part of powerful, rover-based analytical laboratories within the next 6 years. There are a number of significant challenges associated with building spectrometers for space applications, including limited volume, power and mass budgets, the need to operate in harsh environments and the need to operate independently and intelligently for long periods of time (due to communication limitations). Here, we give an overview of the technical capabilities of the Raman instruments planned for future planetary missions and give a review of the preparatory work being pursued to ensure that such instruments are operated successfully and optimally. This includes analysis of extremophile samples containing pigments associated with biological processes, synthetic materials which incorporate biological material within a mineral matrix, planetary analogues containing low levels of reduced carbon and samples coated with desert varnish that incorporate both geo-markers and biomarkers. We discuss the scientific importance of each sample type and the challenges using portable/flight-prototype instrumentation. We also report on technical development work undertaken to enable the next generation of Raman instruments to reach higher levels of sensitivity and operational efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian B Hutchinson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Richard Ingley
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Howell G M Edwards
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Liam Harris
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Melissa McHugh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Cedric Malherbe
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK Department of Inorganic Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry Institute (B6c), University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - J Parnell
- Department of Geology & Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK
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Hausrath EM, Tschauner O. Natural fumarolic alteration of fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass, and implications for habitable environments on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2013; 13:1049-64. [PMID: 24283927 PMCID: PMC3865726 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.0985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/14/2013] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Fumaroles represent a very important potential habitat on Mars because they contain water and nutrients. Global deposition of volcanic sulfate aerosols may also have been an important soil-forming process affecting large areas of Mars. Here we identify alteration from the Senator fumarole, northwest Nevada, USA, and in low-temperature environments near the fumarole to help interpret fumarolic and acid vapor alteration of rocks and soils on Mars. We analyzed soil samples and fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass placed at and near the fumarole in in situ mineral alteration experiments designed to measure weathering under natural field conditions. Using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we clearly observe hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing fluorapatite as a fumarolic alteration product of the original material, fluorapatite. The composition of apatites as well as secondary phosphates has been previously used to infer magmatic conditions as well as fumarolic conditions on Mars. To our knowledge, the observations reported here represent the first documented instance of formation of hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing apatite from fluorapatite in a field experiment. Retreat of olivine surfaces, as well as abundant NH4-containing minerals, was also characteristic of fumarolic alteration. In contrast, alteration in the nearby low-temperature environment resulted in formation of large pits on olivine surfaces, which were clearly distinguishable from the fumarolic alteration. Raman signatures of some fumarolically impacted surfaces are consistent with detection of the biological molecules chlorophyll and scytenomin, potentially useful biosignatures. Observations of altered minerals on Mars may therefore help identify the environment of formation and understand the aqueous history and potential habitability of that planet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oliver Tschauner
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
- HiPSEC, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
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12
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Vítek P, Jehlička J, Edwards HGM. Practical considerations for the field application of miniaturized portable Raman instrumentation for the identification of minerals. APPLIED SPECTROSCOPY 2013; 67:767-78. [PMID: 23816130 DOI: 10.1366/12-06774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The nondestructive identification of both inorganic and organic compounds without the need for chemical or mechanical sample preparation is an advantage of the Raman spectroscopic analytical technique when applied in situ using miniaturized equipment for the geosciences. This is critically assessed here for several real life geoscientific scenarios in which several groups of minerals were analyzed with emphasis on evaporites, carbonates, and selected types of dark minerals and weak Raman scatterers. The role of individual analytical instrumental parameters such as focal plane precision, exposure time, and ambient light conditions that can affect the acquisition and interpretation of spectroscopic data from these specimens in field conditions was also evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Vítek
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
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Microorganism response to stressed terrestrial environments: a Raman spectroscopic perspective of extremophilic life strategies. Life (Basel) 2013; 3:276-94. [PMID: 25371344 PMCID: PMC4187200 DOI: 10.3390/life3010276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Revised: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Raman spectroscopy is a valuable analytical technique for the identification of biomolecules and minerals in natural samples, which involves little or minimal sample manipulation. In this paper, we evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this technique applied to the study of extremophiles. Furthermore, we provide a review of the results published, up to the present point in time, of the bio- and geo-strategies adopted by different types of extremophile colonies of microorganisms. We also show the characteristic Raman signatures for the identification of pigments and minerals, which appear in those complex samples.
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Azua-Bustos A, Urrejola C, Vicuña R. Life at the dry edge: microorganisms of the Atacama Desert. FEBS Lett 2012; 586:2939-45. [PMID: 22819826 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Revised: 07/10/2012] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Atacama Desert, located in northern Chile, is the driest and oldest desert on Earth. Research aimed at the understanding of this unique habitat and its diverse microbial ecosystems begun only a few decades ago, mainly driven by NASA's astrobiology program. A milestone in these efforts was a paper published in 2003, when the Atacama was shown to be a proper model of Mars. From then on, studies have been focused to examine every possible niche suitable for microbial life in this extreme environment. Habitats as different as the underside of quartz rocks, fumaroles at the Andes Mountains, the inside of halite evaporates and caves of the Coastal Range, among others, have shown that life has found ingenious ways to adapt to extreme conditions such as low water availability, high salt concentration and intense UV radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Azua-Bustos
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
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15
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Jehlicka J, Edwards HGM, Culka A. Using portable Raman spectrometers for the identification of organic compounds at low temperatures and high altitudes: exobiological applications. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2010; 368:3109-3125. [PMID: 20529948 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Organic minerals, organic acids and NH-containing organic molecules represent important target molecules for astrobiology. Here, we present the results of the evaluation of a portable hand-held Raman spectrometer to detect these organic compounds outdoors under field conditions. These measurements were carried out during the February-March 2009 winter period in Austrian Alpine sites at temperatures ranging between -5 and -25 degrees C. The compounds investigated were detected under field conditions and their main Raman spectral features were observed unambiguously at their correct reference wavenumber positions. The results obtained demonstrate that a miniaturized Raman spectrometer equipped with 785 nm excitation could be applied with advantage as a key instrument for investigating the presence of organic minerals, organic acids and nitrogen-containing organic compounds outdoors under terrestrial low-temperature conditions. Within the payload designed by ESA and NASA for several missions focusing on Mars, Titan, Europa and other extraterrestrial bodies, Raman spectroscopy can be proposed as an important non-destructive analytical tool for the in situ identification of organic compounds relevant to life detection on planetary and moon surfaces or near subsurfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Jehlicka
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
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16
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Vítek P, Edwards HGM, Jehlicka J, Ascaso C, De los Ríos A, Valea S, Jorge-Villar SE, Davila AF, Wierzchos J. Microbial colonization of halite from the hyper-arid Atacama Desert studied by Raman spectroscopy. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2010; 368:3205-21. [PMID: 20529955 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert (Chile) is the driest place on Earth and is considered a close analogue to the extremely arid conditions on the surface of Mars. Microbial life is very rare in soils of this hyper-arid region, and autotrophic micro-organisms are virtually absent. Instead, photosynthetic micro-organisms have successfully colonized the interior of halite crusts, which are widespread in the Atacama Desert. These endoevaporitic colonies are an example of life that has adapted to the extreme dryness by colonizing the interior of rocks that provide enhanced moisture conditions. As such, these colonies represent a novel example of potential life on Mars. Here, we present non-destructive Raman spectroscopical identification of these colonies and their organic remnants. Spectral signatures revealed the presence of UV-protective biomolecules as well as light-harvesting pigments pointing to photosynthetic activity. Compounds of biogenic origin identified within these rocks differed depending on the origins of specimens from particular areas in the desert, with differing environmental conditions. Our results also demonstrate the capability of Raman spectroscopy to identify biomarkers within rocks that have a strong astrobiological potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Vítek
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
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17
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Marshall CP, Olcott Marshall A. The potential of Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of diagenetically transformed carotenoids. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2010; 368:3137-3144. [PMID: 20529950 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Recently, carotenoids have received much attention as target compounds for astrobiological prospecting principally because they are a group of molecules that display unique diagnostic Raman spectra that can be assigned to organic material of unequivocal biological origin. However, no work has been performed on assessing the potential of Raman spectroscopic detection of carotenoids from fossilized microbes. Here, we report the first Raman spectra acquired from 'perhydro' derivatives of beta-carotene and lycopene formed by hydrogenation of the polyene chain during diagenesis, resulting in much less specific fossil hydrocarbons such as beta-carotane and lycopane, respectively. We propose here that diagenetically altered carotenoids formed by hydrogenation reactions during the fossilization processes also provide unique diagnostic spectra that can be interpreted as a biological signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig P Marshall
- Department of Geology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7613, USA.
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18
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Varnali T, Edwards HGM. Ab initio calculations of scytonemin derivatives of relevance to extremophile characterization by Raman spectroscopy. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2010; 368:3193-3203. [PMID: 20529954 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The recognition that scytonemin, the radiation protectant pigment produced by extremophilic cyanobacterial colonies in stressed terrestrial environments, is a key biomarker for extinct or extant life preserved in geological scenarios is critically important for the detection of life signatures by remote analytical instrumentation on planetary surfaces and subsurfaces. The ExoMars mission to seek life signatures on Mars is just one experiment that will rely upon the detection of molecules such as scytonemin in the Martian regolith. Following a detailed structural analysis of the parent scytonemin, we report here for the first time a similar analysis of several of its methoxy derivatives that have recently been extracted from stressed cyanobacteria. Ab initio calculations have been carried out to determine the most stable molecular configurations, and the implications of the structural changes imposed by the methoxy group additions on the spectral characteristics of the parent molecule are discussed. The calculated electronic absorption bands of the derivative molecules reveal that their capability of removing UVA wavelengths is removed while preserving the ability to absorb the shorter wavelength UVB and UVC radiation, in contrast to scytonemin itself. This is indicative of a special role for these molecules in the protective strategy of the cyanobacterial extremophiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Varnali
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Bogazici University, Bebek 34342, Istanbul, Turkey.
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19
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Jorge-Villar SE, Edwards HGM. Raman spectroscopy of volcanic lavas and inclusions of relevance to astrobiological exploration. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2010; 368:3127-3135. [PMID: 20529949 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Volcanic eruptions and lava flows comprise one of the most highly stressed terrestrial environments for the survival of biological organisms; the destruction of botanical and biological colonies by molten lava, pyroclastic flows, lahars, poisonous gas emissions and the deposition of highly toxic materials from fumaroles is the normal expectation from such events. However, the role of lichens and cyanobacteria in the earlier colonization of volcanic lava outcrops has now been recognized. In this paper, we build upon earlier Raman spectroscopic studies on extremophilic colonies in old lava flows to assess the potential of finding evidence of biological colonization in more recent lava deposits that would inform, first, the new colonization of these rocks and also provide evidence for the relict presence of biological colonies that existed before the volcanism occurred and were engulfed by the lava. In this research, samples were collected from a recent expedition to the active volcano at Kilauea, Hawaii, which comprises very recent lava flows, active fumaroles and volcanic rocks that had broken through to the ocean and had engulfed a coral reef. The Raman spectra indicated that biological and geobiological signatures could be identified in the presence of geological matrices, which is encouraging for the planned exploration of Mars, where it is believed that there is evidence of an active volcanism that perhaps could have preserved traces of biological activity that once existed on the planet's surface, especially in sites near the old Martian oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana E Jorge-Villar
- Area Geodinamica Interna, Facultad de Humanidades y Educacion, Universidad de Burgos, Calle Villadiego s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain.
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Marshall CP, Edwards HGM, Jehlicka J. Understanding the application of Raman spectroscopy to the detection of traces of life. ASTROBIOLOGY 2010; 10:229-243. [PMID: 20402584 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2009.0344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Investigating carbonaceous microstructures and material in Earth's oldest sedimentary rocks is an essential part of tracing the origins of life on our planet; furthermore, it is important for developing techniques to search for traces of life on other planets, for example, Mars. NASA and ESA are considering the adoption of miniaturized Raman spectrometers for inclusion in suites of analytical instrumentation to be placed on robotic landers on Mars in the near future to search for fossil or extant biomolecules. Recently, Raman spectroscopy has been used to infer a biological origin of putative carbonaceous microfossils in Early Archean rocks. However, it has been demonstrated that the spectral signature obtained from kerogen (of known biological origin) is similar to spectra obtained from many poorly ordered carbonaceous materials that arise through abiotic processes. Yet there is still confusion in the literature as to whether the Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous materials can indeed delineate a signature of ancient life. Despite the similar nature in spectra, rigorous structural interrogation between the thermal alteration products of biological and nonbiological organic materials has not been undertaken. Therefore, we propose a new way forward by investigating the second derivative, deconvolution, and chemometrics of the carbon first-order spectra to build a database of structural parameters that may yield distinguishable characteristics between biogenic and abiogenic carbonaceous material. To place Raman spectroscopy as a technique to delineate a biological origin for samples in context, we will discuss what is currently accepted as a spectral signature for life; review Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material; and provide a historical overview of Raman spectroscopy applied to Archean carbonaceous materials, interpretations of the origin of the ancient carbonaceous material, and a future way forward for Raman spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig P Marshall
- Department of Geology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
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Identification of β-carotene in an evaporitic matrix—evaluation of Raman spectroscopic analysis for astrobiological research on Mars. Anal Bioanal Chem 2009; 393:1967-75. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-009-2677-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2008] [Revised: 02/02/2009] [Accepted: 02/03/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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