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Baqué M, Backhaus T, Meeßen J, Hanke F, Böttger U, Ramkissoon N, Olsson-Francis K, Baumgärtner M, Billi D, Cassaro A, de la Torre Noetzel R, Demets R, Edwards H, Ehrenfreund P, Elsaesser A, Foing B, Foucher F, Huwe B, Joshi J, Kozyrovska N, Lasch P, Lee N, Leuko S, Onofri S, Ott S, Pacelli C, Rabbow E, Rothschild L, Schulze-Makuch D, Selbmann L, Serrano P, Szewzyk U, Verseux C, Wagner D, Westall F, Zucconi L, de Vera JPP. Biosignature stability in space enables their use for life detection on Mars. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn7412. [PMID: 36070383 PMCID: PMC9451166 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn7412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Two rover missions to Mars aim to detect biomolecules as a sign of extinct or extant life with, among other instruments, Raman spectrometers. However, there are many unknowns about the stability of Raman-detectable biomolecules in the martian environment, clouding the interpretation of the results. To quantify Raman-detectable biomolecule stability, we exposed seven biomolecules for 469 days to a simulated martian environment outside the International Space Station. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) strongly changed the Raman spectra signals, but only minor change was observed when samples were shielded from UVR. These findings provide support for Mars mission operations searching for biosignatures in the subsurface. This experiment demonstrates the detectability of biomolecules by Raman spectroscopy in Mars regolith analogs after space exposure and lays the groundwork for a consolidated space-proven database of spectroscopy biosignatures in targeted environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickael Baqué
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Planetary Laboratories Department, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Theresa Backhaus
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität (HHU), Institut für Botanik, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Joachim Meeßen
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität (HHU), Institut für Botanik, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Franziska Hanke
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Optical Sensor Systems, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ute Böttger
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Optical Sensor Systems, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nisha Ramkissoon
- AstrobiologyOU, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Karen Olsson-Francis
- AstrobiologyOU, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Michael Baumgärtner
- Microbial Geoecology and Astrobiology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå university, Linnaeus väg 6, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Daniela Billi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Cassaro
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Rosa de la Torre Noetzel
- Departamento de Observación de la Tierra, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz-28850, Madrid, Spain
| | - René Demets
- European Space Agency (ESA), European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC),, Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | - Howell Edwards
- University of Bradford, University Analytical Centre, Division of Chemical and Forensic Sciences, Raman Spectroscopy Group, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Pascale Ehrenfreund
- Leiden Observatory, Laboratory Astrophysics, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- George Washington University, Space Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Andreas Elsaesser
- Freie Universitaet Berlin, Experimental Biophysics and Space Sciences, Institute of Experimental Physics; Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernard Foing
- Leiden Observatory, Laboratory Astrophysics, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081-1087, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Frédéric Foucher
- CNRS Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, UPR-4301, Rue Charles Sadron, CS80054, 45071 Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - Björn Huwe
- Biodiversity Research/Systematic Botany, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany
- Department Technology Assessment and Substance Cycles, Leibniz- Institute for Agriculture Engineering and Bioeconomy, Max-Eyth-Allee 100, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jasmin Joshi
- Institute for Landscape and Open Space, Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Seestrasse 10, 8640 Rapperswil, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Kozyrovska
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of NASU, Acad. Zabolotnoho str.150, 03680, Kyiv Ukraine
| | - Peter Lasch
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens (ZBS 6), Robert Koch Institute, Nordufer 20, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Natuschka Lee
- Microbial Geoecology and Astrobiology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå university, Linnaeus väg 6, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Stefan Leuko
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Linder Höhe, 51147 Köln, Germany
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Sieglinde Ott
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität (HHU), Institut für Botanik, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Claudia Pacelli
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
- Research and Science Department, Italian Space Agency (ASI), Via del Politecnico snc, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Elke Rabbow
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Linder Höhe, 51147 Köln, Germany
| | - Lynn Rothschild
- NASA Ames Research Center, Mail Stop 239-20, P.O. Box 1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Technical University Berlin, ZAA, Hardenbergstr. 36, D-10623 Berlin, Germany
- Section Geomicrobiology, German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Experimental Limnology, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 12587, Stechlin, Germany
| | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
- Mycological Section, Italian Antarctic National Museum (MNA), 16121 Genoa, Italy
| | - Paloma Serrano
- Section Geomicrobiology, German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ulrich Szewzyk
- Institute of Environmental Technology, Environmental Microbiology, Technical University Berlin, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, Berlin, 10587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Cyprien Verseux
- Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), University of Bremen, Am Fallturm 2, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Dirk Wagner
- Section Geomicrobiology, German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Frances Westall
- CNRS Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, UPR-4301, Rue Charles Sadron, CS80054, 45071 Orléans Cedex 2, France
| | - Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Jean-Pierre P. de Vera
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC), Linder Höhe, 51147 Köln, Germany
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