1
|
Grefenstette N, Chou L, Colón-Santos S, Fisher TM, Mierzejewski V, Nural C, Sinhadc P, Vidaurri M, Vincent L, Weng MM. Chapter 9: Life as We Don't Know It. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:S186-S201. [PMID: 38498819 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0103] [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: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
While Earth contains the only known example of life in the universe, it is possible that life elsewhere is fundamentally different from what we are familiar with. There is an increased recognition in the astrobiology community that the search for life should steer away from terran-specific biosignatures to those that are more inclusive to all life-forms. To start exploring the space of possibilities that life could occupy, we can try to dissociate life from the chemistry that composes it on Earth by envisioning how different life elsewhere could be in composition, lifestyle, medium, and form, and by exploring how the general principles that govern living systems on Earth might be found in different forms and environments across the Solar System. Exotic life-forms could exist on Mars or Venus, or icy moons like Europa and Enceladus, or even as a shadow biosphere on Earth. New perspectives on agnostic biosignature detection have also begun to emerge, allowing for a broader and more inclusive approach to seeking exotic life with unknown chemistry that is distinct from life as we know it on Earth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Grefenstette
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Luoth Chou
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Theresa M Fisher
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Ceren Nural
- Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Pritvik Sinhadc
- BEYOND: Center For Fundamental Concepts in Science, Arizona State University, Arizona, USA
- Dubai College, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Monica Vidaurri
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Howard University, DC, USA
| | - Lena Vincent
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fan M, Xie J, Wang E, Tian SX. Evaporative cooling and reaction of carbon dioxide clusters by low-energy electron attachment. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:044301. [PMID: 38251801 DOI: 10.1063/5.0179993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Anionic carbonate CO3- has been found in interstellar space and the Martian atmosphere, but its production mechanism is in debate so far. To mimic the irradiation-induced reactions on icy micrograins in the Martian atmosphere and the icy shell of interstellar dust, here we report a laboratory investigation on the dissociative electron attachments to the molecular clusters of CO2. We find that anionic species (CO2)n-1O- and (CO2)n- (n = 2, 3, 4) are produced in the concerted reaction and further stabilized by the evaporative cooling after the electron attachment. We further propose a dynamics model to elucidate their competitive productions: the (CO2)n- yields survive substantially in the molecular evaporative cooling at the lower electron attachment energy, while the reactions leading to (CO2)n-1O- are favored at the higher attachment energy. This work provides new insights into physicochemical processes in CO2-rich atmospheres and interstellar space.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Fan
- Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jingchen Xie
- Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Enliang Wang
- Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Shan Xi Tian
- Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230088, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abstract
Reaction dynamics in the liquid-vapor interface is one of the crucial physical sciences but is still starving for in-depth exploration. It is challenging to selectively detect the interfacial species or the yields of chemical reaction therein, meanwhile shielding or reducing the interference from the vapor and liquid bulk. Mass spectrometry is a straightforward method but is also frustrated in such a selective detection. Using a liquid microjet in combination with a pulsed electron beam, a linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer, and a quadrupole mass filter, we recently innovated time-delayed mass spectrometry for investigations of the liquid-vapor interface. In this Account, we illustrate how this unique method succeeds in disentangling different sources, i.e., the vapor and liquid-vapor interface, of the ionic yields of the electron impacts with a liquid beam of alcohol in vacuum. These achievements are basically attributed to the application of an onion-peeling strategy in the ion detection. Concretely, the microsecond time scale of molecular volatilization can be resolved well by tuning the delay time between the nanosecond pulses of incident electron bunch and ion attractor. First, the specific orientation of the interfacial molecule, i.e., a well-known fact about the hydrophobic hydrocarbon groups pointing outside the liquid surface of alcohol, is validated again. More importantly, the dynamic features of time-delayed mass spectra, in particular, for the ionic yields from the liquid-vapor interface, are rationalized explicitly. Moreover, we demonstrate evidence of in situ molecular dimers in the liquid-vapor interface of 1-propanol. As the first example of electron-induced reaction in the liquid-vapor interface, dimethyl ether can be synthesized in the liquid methanol interface due to local interfacial acidification by high-energy electron impacts. On the contrary, the low energy electron can lead to local basicity through dissociative electron attachment (DEA). Besides the primary low-energy electrons, the low-energy secondary and inelastically scattered electrons in the higher-energy impacts of the primary electrons can also participate in the DEA process. In contrast to the gas- or solid-phase DEAs, that in the liquid-vapor interface shows distinct differences in both the types and efficiencies of anionic products. With these and efforts in the future, we develop a molecular-level understanding of how the chemical reactions happen in the liquid-vapor interface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shan Xi Tian
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Wangjiang West Road, Hefei230088, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li Z, Fu CF, Chen Z, Tong T, Hu J, Yang J, Tian SX. Electron-Induced Synthesis of Dimethyl Ether in the Liquid-Vapor Interface of Methanol. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:5220-5225. [PMID: 35670607 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c00787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ether synthesis from alcohol is known to be acid-catalyzed. Such a process could happen in the acidified liquid of alcohol, but hitherto lacking the experimental evidence. Here we demonstrate that dimethyl ether is spontaneously synthesized in the liquid-vapor interface of pure methanol after ionizing radiation with electrons. Using time-delayed tandem mass spectrometry measurements in combination with theoretical calculations, we further confirm that the protonated dimethyl ether is produced from the ion-molecule reactions not only in the dense vapor above the interface but also within the molecular clusters of the acidic interface. Our finding provides a convincing piece of evidence about the liquid-vapor interfacial acidification by the electron-impact ionizing radiation, exhibiting a promising way to control the chemical reactions in the liquid surface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziyuan Li
- Department of Chemical Physics, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Cen-Feng Fu
- Department of Chemical Physics, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Ziwei Chen
- Department of Chemical Physics, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Tiantian Tong
- Department of Chemical Physics, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jie Hu
- Department of Chemical Physics, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jinlong Yang
- Department of Chemical Physics, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Shan Xi Tian
- Department of Chemical Physics, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
The resonance capture of ubiquitous very low energy electrons (vLEEs) into the π* orbitals of nucleobases is a potential doorway to DNA damage. Our ab initio quantum chemical calculations reveal a possible protection function, which is specific to the complementary basepairing, against such vLEE induced DNA damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daly Davis
- Electromagnetic Application & Instrumentation Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India
| | - Y Sajeev
- Theoretical Chemistry Section, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai-400085, India.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chen Z, Fu CF, Li Z, Hu J, Li H, Yang J, Tian SX. Identifying the Molecular Orientation and Clusters in the Liquid-Vapor Interface of 1-Propanol by Time-Delayed Mass Spectrometry. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:7510-7516. [PMID: 32813525 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Structural inhomogeneity of the liquid-vapor interface, such as the spatial orientation of molecular specific groups and the non-uniform distribution of hydrogen-bonded (HB) clusters, is crucial for understanding the physicochemical processes therein. Although the molecular orientation at the outermost layer was authenticated, to date, direct experimental evidence of the in situ existence of different-sized HB clusters, as a long-standing theoretical argument, is still lacking. Here we report time-delayed electron-impact tandem mass spectrometry, and its powerful ability to identify the local structures of the liquid-vapor interface of 1-propanol is demonstrated not only by mapping the molecular orientations both in the outermost layer and in the subsurface but also by validating the existence of the HB molecular dimers in the subsurface by detecting their protonated ions. We further distinguish two different sources of the protonated dimer: the gas-phase protonation of the neutral dimer that evaporates in advance and the time-lag evaporation of the protonated dimer produced in the subsurface. This methodology is a brand-new way to explore the microstructures and the electron-driven chemical reactions in different local regions of the liquid-vapor interface.
Collapse
|
7
|
Milojevic T, Albu M, Blazevic A, Gumerova N, Konrad L, Cyran N. Nanoscale Tungsten-Microbial Interface of the Metal Immobilizing Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Metallosphaera sedula Cultivated With Tungsten Polyoxometalate. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1267. [PMID: 31275255 PMCID: PMC6593293 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Inorganic systems based upon polyoxometalate (POM) clusters provide an experimental approach to develop artificial life. These artificial symmetric anionic macromolecules with oxidometalate polyhedra as building blocks were shown to be well suited as inorganic frameworks for complex self-assembling and organizing systems with emergent properties. Analogously to mineral cells based on iron sulfides, POMs are considered as inorganic cells in facilitating prelife chemical processes and displaying "life-like" characteristics. However, the relevance of POMs to life-sustaining processes (e.g., microbial respiration) has not yet been addressed, while iron sulfides are very well known as ubiquitous mineral precursors and energy sources for chemolithotrophic metabolism. Metallosphaera sedula is an extreme metallophilic and thermoacidophilic archaeon, which flourishes in hot acid and respires by metal oxidation. In the present study we provide our observations on M. sedula cultivated on tungsten polyoxometalate (W-POM). The decomposition of W-POM macromolecular clusters and the appearance of low molecular weight W species (e.g., WO) in the presence of M. sedula have been detected by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analysis. Here, we document the presence of metalloorganic assemblages at the interface between M. sedula and W-POM resolved down to the nanometer scale using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) coupled to electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). High-resolution TEM (HR-TEM) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns indicated the deposition of redox heterogeneous tungsten species on the S-layer of M. sedula along with the accumulation of intracellular tungsten-bearing nanoparticles, i.e., clusters of tungsten atoms. These results reveal the effectiveness of the analytical spectroscopy coupled to the wet chemistry approach as a tool in the analysis of metal-microbial interactions and microbial cultivation on supramolecular self-assemblages based on inorganic metal clusters. We discuss the possible mechanism of W-POM decomposition by M. sedula in light of unique electrochemical properties of POMs. The findings presented herein highlight unique metallophilicity in hostile environments, extending our knowledge of the relevance of POMs to life-sustaining processes, understanding of the transition of POMs as inorganic prebiotic model to life-sustainable material precursors and revealing biogenic signatures obtained after the decomposition of an artificial inorganic compound, which previously was not associated with any living matter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tetyana Milojevic
- Extremophiles/Space Biochemistry Group, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mihaela Albu
- Graz Centre for Electron Microscopy, Graz, Austria
| | - Amir Blazevic
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nadiia Gumerova
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Konrad
- Graz Centre for Electron Microscopy, Graz, Austria
| | - Norbert Cyran
- Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|