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Silva GG, Vincenzi RA, de Araujo GG, Venceslau SJS, Rodrigues F. Siderite and vivianite as energy sources for the extreme acidophilic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in the context of mars habitability. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14885. [PMID: 38937525 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64246-7] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Past and present habitability of Mars have been intensely studied in the context of the search for signals of life. Despite the harsh conditions observed today on the planet, some ancient Mars environments could have harbored specific characteristics able to mitigate several challenges for the development of microbial life. In such environments, Fe2+ minerals like siderite (already identified on Mars), and vivianite (proposed, but not confirmed) could sustain a chemolithoautotrophic community. In this study, we investigate the ability of the acidophilic iron-oxidizing chemolithoautotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to use these minerals as its sole energy source. A. ferrooxidans was grown in media containing siderite or vivianite under different conditions and compared to abiotic controls. Our experiments demonstrated that this microorganism was able to grow, obtaining its energy from the oxidation of Fe2+ that came from the solubilization of these minerals under low pH. Additionally, in sealed flasks without CO2, A. ferrooxidans was able to fix carbon directly from the carbonate ion released from siderite for biomass production, indicating that it could be able to colonize subsurface environments with little or no contact with an atmosphere. These previously unexplored abilities broaden our knowledge on the variety of minerals able to sustain life. In the context of astrobiology, this expands the list of geomicrobiological processes that should be taken into account when considering the habitability of environments beyond Earth, and opens for investigation the possible biological traces left on these substrates as biosignatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Gonçalves Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Química, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberta Almeida Vincenzi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Bioquímica E Biologia Molecular, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Guarany de Araujo
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Fabio Rodrigues
- Departamento de Química Fundamental, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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2
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Hu S, Gao Y, Zhou Z, Gao L, Lin Y. Water and other volatiles on Mars. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwae094. [PMID: 38915914 PMCID: PMC11194835 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This perspective reviews the recent advances in martian water and other volatiles and addresses the associated scientific questions for future martian exploration missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Hu
- Key Laboratory of the Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Yubing Gao
- Key Laboratory of the Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Zhan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Liang Gao
- Key Laboratory of the Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Yangting Lin
- Key Laboratory of the Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
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3
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Fifer LM, Wong ML. Quantifying the Potential for Nitrate-Dependent Iron Oxidation on Early Mars: Implications for the Interpretation of Gale Crater Organics. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:590-603. [PMID: 38805190 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0109] [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: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Geological evidence and atmospheric and climate models suggest habitable conditions occurred on early Mars, including in a lake in Gale crater. Instruments aboard the Curiosity rover measured organic compounds of unknown provenance in sedimentary mudstones at Gale crater. Additionally, Curiosity measured nitrates in Gale crater sediments, which suggests that nitrate-dependent Fe2+ oxidation (NDFO) may have been a viable metabolism for putative martian life. Here, we perform the first quantitative assessment of an NDFO community that could have existed in an ancient Gale crater lake and quantify the long-term preservation of biological necromass in lakebed mudstones. We find that an NDFO community would have the capacity to produce cell concentrations of up to 106 cells mL-1, which is comparable to microbes in Earth's oceans. However, only a concentration of <104 cells mL-1, due to organisms that inefficiently consume less than 10% of precipitating nitrate, would be consistent with the abundance of organics found at Gale. We also find that meteoritic sources of organics would likely be insufficient as a sole source for the Gale crater organics, which would require a separate source, such as abiotic hydrothermal or atmospheric production or possibly biological production from a slowly turning over chemotrophic community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas M Fifer
- Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Astrobiology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michael L Wong
- Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, USA
- NHFP Sagan Fellow, NASA Hubble Fellowship Program, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- NASA Nexus for Exoplanet System Science, Virtual Planetary Laboratory Team, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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4
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Christ O, Nestola F, Alvaro M. Open questions on carbonaceous matter in meteorites. Commun Chem 2024; 7:118. [PMID: 38811753 PMCID: PMC11137045 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01200-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Christ
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Fabrizio Nestola
- Department of Geosciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Matteo Alvaro
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100, Pavia, Italy
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5
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Lang J, Foley CD, Thawoos S, Behzadfar A, Liu Y, Zádor J, Suits AG. Reaction dynamics of S( 3P) with 1,3-butadiene and isoprene: crossed-beam scattering, low-temperature flow experiments, and high-level electronic structure calculations. Faraday Discuss 2024. [PMID: 38807494 DOI: 10.1039/d4fd00009a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Sulfur atoms serve as key players in diverse chemical processes, from astrochemistry at very low temperature to combustion at high temperature. Building upon our prior findings, showing cyclization to thiophenes following the reaction of ground-state sulfur atoms with dienes, we here extend this investigation to include many additional reaction products, guided by detailed theoretical predictions. The outcomes highlight the complex formation of products during intersystem crossing (ISC) to the singlet surfaces. Here, we employed crossed-beam velocity map imaging and high-level ab initio methods to explore the reaction of S(3P) with 1,3-butadiene and isoprene under single-collision conditions and in low-temperature flows. For the butadiene reaction, our experimental results show the formation of thiophene via H2 loss, a 2H-thiophenyl radical through H loss, and thioketene through ethene loss at a slightly higher collision energy compared to previous observations. Complementary Chirped-Pulse Fourier-Transform mmWave spectroscopy (CP-FTmmW) measurements in a uniform flow confirmed the formation of thioketene in the reaction at 20 K. For the isoprene reaction, we observed analogous products along with the 2H-thiophenyl radical arising from methyl loss and C3H4S (loss of ethene or H2 + acetylene). CP-FTmmW detected the formation of thioformaldehyde via loss of 1,3-butadiene, again in the 20 K flow. Coupled-cluster calculations on the pathways found by the automated kinetic workflow code KinBot support these findings and indicate ISC to the singlet surface, leading to the generation of various long-lived intermediates, including 5-membered heterocycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxin Lang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
| | - Casey D Foley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
| | - Shameemah Thawoos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
| | - Abbas Behzadfar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
| | - Yanan Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
| | - Judit Zádor
- Combustion Research Facility, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California 94551, USA.
| | - Arthur G Suits
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
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6
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Aguzzi J, Cuadros J, Dartnell L, Costa C, Violino S, Canfora L, Danovaro R, Robinson NJ, Giovannelli D, Flögel S, Stefanni S, Chatzievangelou D, Marini S, Picardi G, Foing B. Marine Science Can Contribute to the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Life. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:676. [PMID: 38929660 PMCID: PMC11205085 DOI: 10.3390/life14060676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Life on our planet likely evolved in the ocean, and thus exo-oceans are key habitats to search for extraterrestrial life. We conducted a data-driven bibliographic survey on the astrobiology literature to identify emerging research trends with marine science for future synergies in the exploration for extraterrestrial life in exo-oceans. Based on search queries, we identified 2592 published items since 1963. The current literature falls into three major groups of terms focusing on (1) the search for life on Mars, (2) astrobiology within our Solar System with reference to icy moons and their exo-oceans, and (3) astronomical and biological parameters for planetary habitability. We also identified that the most prominent research keywords form three key-groups focusing on (1) using terrestrial environments as proxies for Martian environments, centred on extremophiles and biosignatures, (2) habitable zones outside of "Goldilocks" orbital ranges, centred on ice planets, and (3) the atmosphere, magnetic field, and geology in relation to planets' habitable conditions, centred on water-based oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Aguzzi
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)—CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (N.J.R.); (D.C.); (G.P.)
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (S.S.); (S.M.)
| | - Javier Cuadros
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5D, UK;
| | - Lewis Dartnell
- School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish St, London W1W 6UW, UK;
| | - Corrado Costa
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi Dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; (C.C.); (S.V.)
| | - Simona Violino
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi Dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; (C.C.); (S.V.)
| | - Loredana Canfora
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente, 00182 Roma, Italy;
| | - Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marcs (UNIVPM), 60131 Ancona, Italy;
| | - Nathan Jack Robinson
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)—CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (N.J.R.); (D.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Donato Giovannelli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy;
- National Research Council—Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies (CNR-IRBIM), 60125 Ancona, Italy
- Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Marine Chemistry, Geochemistry Department—Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth, MA 02543, USA
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Sascha Flögel
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, 24106 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Sergio Stefanni
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (S.S.); (S.M.)
| | | | - Simone Marini
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (S.S.); (S.M.)
- Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISMAR), 19032 La Spezia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Picardi
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)—CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (N.J.R.); (D.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Bernard Foing
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081-1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
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7
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McIntosh O, García-Florentino C, Fornaro T, Marabello D, Alberini A, Siljeström S, Biczysko M, Szopa C, Brucato J. Undecanoic Acid and L-Phenylalanine in Vermiculite: Detection, Characterization, and UV Degradation Studies for Biosignature Identification on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:518-537. [PMID: 38669050 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0088] [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: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Solar radiation that arrives on the surface of Mars interacts with organic molecules present in the soil. The radiation can degrade or transform the organic matter and make the search for biosignatures on the planet's surface difficult. Therefore, samples to be analyzed by instruments on board Mars probes for molecular content should be selectively chosen to have the highest organic preservation content. To support the identification of organic molecules on Mars, the behavior under UV irradiation of two organic compounds, undecanoic acid and L-phenylalanine, in the presence of vermiculite and two chloride salts, NaCl and MgCl, was studied. The degradation of the molecule's bands was monitored through IR spectroscopy. Our results show that, while vermiculite acts as a photoprotective mineral with L-phenylalanine, it catalyzes the photodegradation of undecanoic acid molecules. On the other hand, both chloride salts studied decreased the degradation of both organic species acting as photoprotectors. While these results do not allow us to conclude on the preservation capabilities of vermiculite, they show that places where chloride salts are present could be good candidates for in situ analytic experiments on Mars due to their organic preservation capacity under UV radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ophélie McIntosh
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
- INAF - Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Firenze, Italy
| | - Cristina García-Florentino
- INAF - Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Firenze, Italy
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Teresa Fornaro
- INAF - Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Firenze, Italy
| | - Domenica Marabello
- Department of Chemistry, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
- Interdepartmental Center for Crystallography, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Sandra Siljeström
- Department of Methodology, Textiles and Medical Technology, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malgorzata Biczysko
- International Centre for Quantum and Molecular Structures, Physics Department, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cyril Szopa
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - John Brucato
- INAF - Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Firenze, Italy
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8
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Cummings E, Karadakov PB. Aromaticity in the Electronic Ground and Lowest Triplet States of Molecules with Fused Thiophene Rings. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202303724. [PMID: 38038597 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202303724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of the variations of the off-nucleus isotropic magnetic shielding, σiso(r), around thiophene, thienothiophenes, dithienothiophenes and sulflowers in their electronic ground (S0) and lowest triplet (T1) states reveals that some of the features of aromaticity and bonding in these molecules do not fit in with predictions based on the popular Hückel's and Baird's rules. Despite having 4n π electrons, the S0 states of the sulflowers are shown to be aromatic, due to the local aromaticities of the individual thiophene rings. To reduce its T1 antiaromaticity, the geometry of thiophene changes considerably between S0 and T1: In addition to losing planarity, the carbon-carbon two 'double' and one 'single' bonds in S0 turn into two 'single' and one 'double' bonds in T1. Well-defined Baird-style aromaticity reversals are observed between the S0 and T1 states of only three of the twelve thiophene-based compounds investigated in this work, in contrast, the sulflower with six thiophene rings which is weakly aromatic in S0 becomes more aromatic in T1. The results suggest that the change in aromaticity between the S0 and T1 states in longer chains of fused rings is likely to affect mostly the central ring (or the pair of central rings); rings sufficiently far away from the central ring(s) can retain aromatic character.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Cummings
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Peter B Karadakov
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
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9
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Newmark J, Kounaves SP. Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7682. [PMID: 38561442 PMCID: PMC10985076 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57968-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
It has been shown that ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is responsible for the destruction of organic compounds on the surface of Mars. When combined with the photochemically-driven production of oxychlorines (ClOx) it can generate highly reactive species that can alter or destroy organic compounds. However, it has been assumed that since UV only penetrates the top few millimeters of the martian regolith, reactive ClOx oxidants are only produced on the surface. Of all the oxychlorine intermediates produced, gaseous chlorine dioxide [ClO2(g)] is of particular interest, being a highly reactive gas with the ability to oxidize organic compounds. Here we report on a set of experiments under Mars ambient conditions showing the production and permeation of ClO2(g) and its reaction with alanine as a test compound. Contrary to the accepted paradigm that UV irradiation on Mars only interacts with a thin layer of surface regolith, our results show that photochemically-generated ClO2(g) can permeate below the surface, depositing ClOx species (mainly Cl- and ClO 3 - ) and destroying organic compounds. With varying levels of humidity and abundant chloride and oxychlorines on Mars, our findings show that permeation of ClO2(g) must be considered as a significant contributing factor in altering, fragmenting, or potentially destroying buried organic compounds on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Newmark
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
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10
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Case N, Johnston N, Nadeau J. Fluorescence Microscopy with Deep UV, Near UV, and Visible Excitation for In Situ Detection of Microorganisms. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:300-317. [PMID: 38507693 PMCID: PMC10979697 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
We report a simple, inexpensive design of a fluorescence microscope with light-emitting diode (LED) excitation for detection of labeled and unlabeled microorganisms in mineral substrates. The use of deep UV (DUV) excitation with visible emission requires no specialized optics or slides and can be implemented easily and inexpensively using an oblique illumination geometry. DUV excitation (<280 nm) is preferable to near UV (365 nm) for avoidance of mineral autofluorescence. When excited with DUV, unpigmented bacteria show two emission peaks: one in the near UV ∼320 nm, corresponding to proteins, and another peak in the blue to green range, corresponding to flavins and/or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). Many commonly used dyes also show secondary excitation peaks in the DUV, with identical emission spectra and quantum yields as their primary peak. However, DUV fails to excite key biosignature molecules, especially chlorophyll in cyanobacteria. Visible excitation (violet to blue) also results in less mineral autofluorescence than near UV, and most autofluorescence in the minerals seen here is green, so that red dyes and red autofluorescence of chlorophyll and porphyrins are readily distinguished. The pairing of DUV and near UV or visible excitation, with emission across the visible, represents the most thorough approach to detection of labeled and unlabeled bacteria in soil and rock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel Case
- Department of Physics, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Nikki Johnston
- Department of Physics, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jay Nadeau
- Department of Physics, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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11
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Spry JA, Siegel B, Bakermans C, Beaty DW, Bell MS, Benardini JN, Bonaccorsi R, Castro-Wallace SL, Coil DA, Coustenis A, Doran PT, Fenton L, Fidler DP, Glass B, Hoffman SJ, Karouia F, Levine JS, Lupisella ML, Martin-Torres J, Mogul R, Olsson-Francis K, Ortega-Ugalde S, Patel MR, Pearce DA, Race MS, Regberg AB, Rettberg P, Rummel JD, Sato KY, Schuerger AC, Sefton-Nash E, Sharkey M, Singh NK, Sinibaldi S, Stabekis P, Stoker CR, Venkateswaran KJ, Zimmerman RR, Zorzano-Mier MP. Planetary Protection Knowledge Gap Closure Enabling Crewed Missions to Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:230-274. [PMID: 38507695 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0092] [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: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
As focus for exploration of Mars transitions from current robotic explorers to development of crewed missions, it remains important to protect the integrity of scientific investigations at Mars, as well as protect the Earth's biosphere from any potential harmful effects from returned martian material. This is the discipline of planetary protection, and the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) maintains the consensus international policy and guidelines on how this is implemented. Based on National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA) studies that began in 2001, COSPAR adopted principles and guidelines for human missions to Mars in 2008. At that point, it was clear that to move from those qualitative provisions, a great deal of work and interaction with spacecraft designers would be necessary to generate meaningful quantitative recommendations that could embody the intent of the Outer Space Treaty (Article IX) in the design of such missions. Beginning in 2016, COSPAR then sponsored a multiyear interdisciplinary meeting series to address planetary protection "knowledge gaps" (KGs) with the intent of adapting and extending the current robotic mission-focused Planetary Protection Policy to support the design and implementation of crewed and hybrid exploration missions. This article describes the outcome of the interdisciplinary COSPAR meeting series, to describe and address these KGs, as well as identify potential paths to gap closure. It includes the background scientific basis for each topic area and knowledge updates since the meeting series ended. In particular, credible solutions for KG closure are described for the three topic areas of (1) microbial monitoring of spacecraft and crew health; (2) natural transport (and survival) of terrestrial microbial contamination at Mars, and (3) the technology and operation of spacecraft systems for contamination control. The article includes a KG data table on these topic areas, which is intended to be a point of departure for making future progress in developing an end-to-end planetary protection requirements implementation solution for a crewed mission to Mars. Overall, the workshop series has provided evidence of the feasibility of planetary protection implementation for a crewed Mars mission, given (1) the establishment of needed zoning, emission, transport, and survival parameters for terrestrial biological contamination and (2) the creation of an accepted risk-based compliance approach for adoption by spacefaring actors including national space agencies and commercial/nongovernment organizations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Corien Bakermans
- Department of Biology, Penn. State University (Altoona), Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David W Beaty
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | | | - Rosalba Bonaccorsi
- SETI Institute, Mountain View, California, USA
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | | | - David A Coil
- School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | | | - Peter T Doran
- Department of Geology & Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Lori Fenton
- SETI Institute, Mountain View, California, USA
| | - David P Fidler
- Council on Foreign Relations, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Brian Glass
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | | | - Fathi Karouia
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Joel S Levine
- College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Javier Martin-Torres
- School of Geoscience, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), Armilla, Spain
| | - Rakesh Mogul
- California Polytechnic (Pomona), Pomona, California, USA
| | - Karen Olsson-Francis
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | | | - Manish R Patel
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - David A Pearce
- Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - John D Rummel
- Friday Harbor Associates LLC, Friday Harbor, Washington, USA
| | | | - Andrew C Schuerger
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Merritt Island, Florida, USA
| | | | - Matthew Sharkey
- US Department of Health & Human Services, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Nitin K Singh
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | | | - Carol R Stoker
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
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12
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Neukart F. Towards sustainable horizons: A comprehensive blueprint for Mars colonization. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26180. [PMID: 38404830 PMCID: PMC10884476 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper thoroughly explores the feasibility, challenges, and proposed solutions for establishing a sustainable human colony on Mars. We quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the Martian environment, highlighting key challenges such as radiation exposure, which astronauts could experience at minimum levels of 0.66 sieverts during a round trip, and the complications arising from Mars' thin atmosphere and extreme temperature variations. Technological advancements are examined, including developing Martian concrete, which utilizes sulfur as a binding agent, and innovative life support strategies like aeroponics and algae bioreactors. The human aspect of colonization is addressed, focusing on long-term space habitation's psychological and physiological impacts. We also present a cost-benefit analysis of in-situ resource utilization versus Earth-based supply missions, emphasizing economic viability with the potential reduction in launch costs through reusable rocket technology. A timeline for the colonization process is suggested, spanning preliminary unmanned missions for resource assessment, followed by short-term manned missions leading to sustainable settlements over several decades. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research, particularly in refining resource utilization techniques and advancing health and life support systems, to solidify the foundation for Mars colonization. This comprehensive assessment aims to guide researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders in planning and executing a strategic and informed approach to making Mars colonization a reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Neukart
- Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science, Snellius Gebouw, Niels Bohrweg 1, Leiden, 2333 CA, South Holland, Netherlands
- Terra Quantum AG, Kornhausstrasse 25, St. Gallen, 9000, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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13
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Clodoré L, Foucher F, Hickman-Lewis K, Sorieul S, Jouve J, Réfrégiers M, Collet G, Petoud S, Gratuze B, Westall F. Multi-Technique Characterization of 3.45 Ga Microfossils on Earth: A Key Approach to Detect Possible Traces of Life in Returned Samples from Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:190-226. [PMID: 38393828 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0089] [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: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
The NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is actively exploring Jezero crater to conduct analyses on igneous and sedimentary rock targets from outcrops located on the crater floor (Máaz and Séítah formations) and from the delta deposits, respectively. The rock samples collected during this mission will be recovered during the Mars Sample Return mission, which plans to bring samples back to Earth in the 2030s to conduct in-depth studies using sophisticated laboratory instrumentation. Some of these samples may contain traces of ancient martian life that may be particularly difficult to detect and characterize because of their morphological simplicity and subtle biogeochemical expressions. Using the volcanic sediments of the 3.45 Ga Kitty's Gap Chert (Pilbara, Australia), containing putative early life forms (chemolithotrophs) and considered as astrobiological analogues for potential early Mars organisms, we document the steps required to demonstrate the syngenicity and biogenicity of such biosignatures using multiple complementary analytical techniques to provide information at different scales of observation. These include sedimentological, petrological, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses to demonstrate macro- to microscale habitability. New approaches, some unavailable at the time of the original description of these features, are used to verify the syngenicity and biogenicity of the purported fossil chemolithotrophs. The combination of elemental (proton-induced X-ray emission spectrometry) and molecular (deep-ultraviolet and Fourier transform infrared) analyses of rock slabs, thin sections, and focused ion beam sections reveals that the carbonaceous matter present in the samples is enriched in trace metals (e.g., V, Cr, Fe, Co) and is associated with aromatic and aliphatic molecules, which strongly support its biological origin. Transmission electron microscopy observations of the carbonaceous matter documented an amorphous nanostructure interpreted to correspond to the degraded remains of microorganisms and their by-products (extracellular polymeric substances, filaments…). Nevertheless, a small fraction of carbonaceous particles has signatures that are more metamorphosed. They probably represent either reworked detrital biological or abiotic fragments of mantle origin. This study serves as an example of the analytical protocol that would be needed to optimize the detection of fossil traces of life in martian rocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Clodoré
- CNRS-Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Orléans, France
| | - Frédéric Foucher
- CNRS-Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Orléans, France
- CNRS-Conditions Extrêmes et Matériaux: Haute Température et Irradiation, Orléans, France
| | - Keyron Hickman-Lewis
- Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
- Dipartimento BiGeA, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Jean Jouve
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, IN2P3, CENBG, Gradignan, France
| | | | - Guillaume Collet
- CNRS-Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Orléans, France
- Chair of Cosmetology, AgroParisTech Innovation, Orléans, France
| | | | - Bernard Gratuze
- CNRS-Institut de Recherche sur les ArchéoMATériaux, Orléans, France
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14
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Thlaijeh S, Lepot K, Carpentier Y, Riboulleau A, Duca D, Vojkovic M, Tewari A, Sarazin J, Bon M, Nuns N, Tribovillard N, Focsa C. Characterization of Sulfur-Rich Microbial Organic Matter in Jurassic Carbonates Using Laser-Assisted Mass Spectrometry. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:61-83. [PMID: 38109217 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0008] [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: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry (MS) shows great potential for in situ molecular analysis of planetary surfaces and microanalysis of space-returned samples or (micro)fossils. Coupled with pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) in ESA's ExoMars project, this technique could help assess further the origin of sulfur-bearing organic matter (OM) recently detected on Mars. To unravel this potential, we analyzed sulfurized microbial OM from ca. 150 million year-old carbonates with laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry (single- and two-step: LDI-MS and L2MS), in comparison with time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and Py-GC-MS. We show that LDI-MS and L2MS readily detect sulfur-bearing moieties such as (alkyl)thiophenes and (alkyl)benzothiophenes. The mineral matrix, however, made the identification of sulfur-bearing molecules challenging in our L2MS experiment. The dominance of small aromatic hydrocarbons (≤14 carbons) in the LDI-MS and L2MS of the extracted soluble and insoluble OM and of the bulk rock is consistent with the low thermal maturity of the sediment and contrasts with the predominance of larger polycyclic aromatic structures commonly observed in meteorites with these techniques. We detected inorganic ions, in particular VO+, in demineralized OM that likely originate from geoporphyrins, which derive from chlorophylls during sediment diagenesis. Finally, insoluble OM yielded distinct compositions compared with extracted soluble OM, with a greater abundance of ions of mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) over 175 and additional N-moieties. This highlights the potential of laser-assisted MS to decipher the composition of macromolecular OM, in particular to investigate the preservation of biomacromolecules in microfossils. Studies comparing diverse biogenic and abiogenic OM are needed to further assess the use of this technique to search for biosignatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siveen Thlaijeh
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8523 - PhLAM - Physique des Lasers Atomes et Molécules, F-59000 Lille, France
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, IRD, UMR 8187 - LOG Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Kevin Lepot
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, IRD, UMR 8187 - LOG Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F-59000 Lille, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Yvain Carpentier
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8523 - PhLAM - Physique des Lasers Atomes et Molécules, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Armelle Riboulleau
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, IRD, UMR 8187 - LOG Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Dumitru Duca
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8523 - PhLAM - Physique des Lasers Atomes et Molécules, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Marin Vojkovic
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8523 - PhLAM - Physique des Lasers Atomes et Molécules, F-59000 Lille, France
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Ruđera Boškovića 33, 21 000 Split, Croatia
| | - Anuradha Tewari
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, IRD, UMR 8187 - LOG Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Johan Sarazin
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, INRAE, Centrale Lille, UMR 8207 - UMET - Unité Matériaux et Transformations, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Mathilde Bon
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8523 - PhLAM - Physique des Lasers Atomes et Molécules, F-59000 Lille, France
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, IRD, UMR 8187 - LOG Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F-59000 Lille, France
- Department of Geology (WE13), Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281/S8, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Nuns
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, INRAE, Centrale Lille, Univ. Artois, FR 2638 - IMEC - Institut Michel-Eugène Chevreul, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Nicolas Tribovillard
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, IRD, UMR 8187 - LOG Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Cristian Focsa
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8523 - PhLAM - Physique des Lasers Atomes et Molécules, F-59000 Lille, France
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15
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Buckner DK, Anderson MJ, Wisnosky S, Alvarado W, Nuevo M, Williams AJ, Ricco AJ, Anamika, Debic S, Friend L, Hoac T, Jahnke L, Radosevich L, Williams R, Wilhelm MB. Quantifying Global Origin-Diagnostic Features and Patterns in Biotic and Abiotic Acyclic Lipids for Life Detection. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:1-35. [PMID: 38150549 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0012] [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: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Lipids are a geologically robust class of organics ubiquitous to life as we know it. Lipid-like soluble organics are synthesized abiotically and have been identified in carbonaceous meteorites and on Mars. Ascertaining the origin of lipids on Mars would be a profound astrobiological achievement. We enumerate origin-diagnostic features and patterns in two acyclic lipid classes, fatty acids (i.e., carboxylic acids) and acyclic hydrocarbons, by collecting and analyzing molecular data reported in over 1500 samples from previously published studies of terrestrial and meteoritic organics. We identify 27 combined (15 for fatty acids, 12 for acyclic hydrocarbons) molecular patterns and structural features that can aid in distinguishing biotic from abiotic synthesis. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrates that multivariate analyses of molecular features (16 for fatty acids, 14 for acyclic hydrocarbons) can potentially indicate sample origin. Terrestrial lipids are dominated by longer straight-chain molecules (C4-C34 fatty acids, C14-C46 acyclic hydrocarbons), with predominance for specific branched and unsaturated isomers. Lipid-like meteoritic soluble organics are shorter, with random configurations. Organic solvent-extraction techniques are most commonly reported, motivating the design of our novel instrument, the Extractor for Chemical Analysis of Lipid Biomarkers in Regolith (ExCALiBR), which extracts lipids while preserving origin-diagnostic features that can indicate biogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise K Buckner
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Space Science & Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Morgan J Anderson
- Space Science & Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Axient Corporation, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
| | - Sydney Wisnosky
- Axient Corporation, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Walter Alvarado
- Space Science & Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michel Nuevo
- Space Science & Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Amy J Williams
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Antonio J Ricco
- Space Science & Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Electrical Engineering-Integrated Circuits Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Anamika
- Department of Space Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
| | - Sara Debic
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Trinh Hoac
- Axient Corporation, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
| | - Linda Jahnke
- Space Science & Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | | | - Ross Williams
- Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Mary Beth Wilhelm
- Space Science & Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
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16
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Hart R, Cardace D. Mineral Indicators of Geologically Recent Past Habitability on Mars. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2349. [PMID: 38137950 PMCID: PMC10744562 DOI: 10.3390/life13122349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We provide new support for habitable microenvironments in the near-subsurface of Mars, hosted in Fe- and Mg-rich rock units, and present a list of minerals that can serve as indicators of specific water-rock reactions in recent geologic paleohabitats for follow-on study. We modeled, using a thermodynamic basis without selective phase suppression, the reactions of published Martian meteorites and Jezero Crater igneous rock compositions and reasonable planetary waters (saline, alkaline waters) using Geochemist's Workbench Ver. 12.0. Solid-phase inputs were meteorite compositions for ALH 77005, Nakhla, and Chassigny, and two rock units from the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover sites, Máaz and Séítah. Six plausible Martian groundwater types [NaClO4, Mg(ClO4)2, Ca(ClO4)2, Mg-Na2(ClO4)2, Ca-Na2(ClO4)2, Mg-Ca(ClO4)2] and a unique Mars soil-water analog solution (dilute saline solution) named "Rosy Red", related to the Phoenix Lander mission, were the aqueous-phase inputs. Geophysical conditions were tuned to near-subsurface Mars (100 °C or 373.15 K, associated with residual heat from a magmatic system, impact event, or a concentration of radionuclides, and 101.3 kPa, similar to <10 m depth). Mineral products were dominated by phyllosilicates such as serpentine-group minerals in most reaction paths, but differed in some important indicator minerals. Modeled products varied in physicochemical properties (pH, Eh, conductivity), major ion activities, and related gas fugacities, with different ecological implications. The microbial habitability of pore spaces in subsurface groundwater percolation systems was interrogated at equilibrium in a thermodynamic framework, based on Gibbs Free Energy Minimization. Models run with the Chassigny meteorite produced the overall highest H2 fugacity. Models reliant on the Rosy Red soil-water analog produced the highest sustained CH4 fugacity (maximum values observed for reactant ALH 77005). In general, Chassigny meteorite protoliths produced the best yield regarding Gibbs Free Energy, from an astrobiological perspective. Occurrences of serpentine and saponite across models are key: these minerals have been observed using CRISM spectral data, and their formation via serpentinization would be consistent with geologically recent-past H2 and CH4 production and sustained energy sources for microbial life. We list index minerals to be used as diagnostic for paleo water-rock models that could have supported geologically recent-past microbial activity, and suggest their application as criteria for future astrobiology study-site selections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Hart
- Department of Physics and Engineering, Community College of Rhode Island, Lincoln, RI 02865, USA
- Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
| | - Dawn Cardace
- Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
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17
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Moreno-Paz M, dos Santos Severino RS, Sánchez-García L, Manchado JM, García-Villadangos M, Aguirre J, Fernández-Martínez MA, Carrizo D, Kobayashi L, Dave A, Warren-Rhodes K, Davila A, Stoker CR, Glass B, Parro V. Life Detection and Microbial Biomarker Profiling with Signs of Life Detector-Life Detector Chip During a Mars Drilling Simulation Campaign in the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:1259-1283. [PMID: 37930382 PMCID: PMC10825288 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The low organic matter content in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert, together with abrupt temperature shifts and high ultraviolet radiation at its surface, makes this region one of the best terrestrial analogs of Mars and one of the best scenarios for testing instrumentation devoted to in situ planetary exploration. We have operated remotely and autonomously the SOLID-LDChip (Signs of Life Detector-Life Detector Chip), an antibody microarray-based sensor instrument, as part of a rover payload during the 2019 NASA Atacama Rover Astrobiology Drilling Studies (ARADS) Mars drilling simulation campaign. A robotic arm collected drilled cuttings down to 80 cm depth and loaded SOLID to process and assay them with LDChip for searching for molecular biomarkers. A remote science team received and analyzed telemetry data and LDChip results. The data revealed the presence of microbial markers from Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Cyanobacteria to be relatively more abundant in the middle layer (40-50 cm). In addition, the detection of several proteins from nitrogen metabolism indicates a pivotal role in the system. These findings were corroborated and complemented on "returned samples" to the lab by a comprehensive analysis that included DNA sequencing, metaproteomics, and a metabolic reconstruction of the sampled area. Altogether, the results describe a relatively complex microbial community with members capable of nitrogen fixation and denitrification, sulfur oxidation and reduction, or triggering oxidative stress responses, among other traits. This remote operation demonstrated the high maturity of SOLID-LDChip as a powerful tool for remote in situ life detection for future missions in the Solar System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Moreno-Paz
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rita Sofia dos Santos Severino
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Departament of Física y Matemáticas y de Automática, University of Alcalá de Henares (UAH), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez-García
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Manchado
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jacobo Aguirre
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Angel Fernández-Martínez
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Québec, Canada
| | - Daniel Carrizo
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Linda Kobayashi
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Arwen Dave
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Kim Warren-Rhodes
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute, Mountain View, California, USA
| | - Alfonso Davila
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Carol R. Stoker
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Brian Glass
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Víctor Parro
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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18
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Tozzi A, Mazzeo M. The First Nucleic Acid Strands May Have Grown on Peptides via Primeval Reverse Translation. Acta Biotheor 2023; 71:23. [PMID: 37947915 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-023-09474-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The central dogma of molecular biology dictates that, with only a few exceptions, information proceeds from DNA to protein through an RNA intermediate. Examining the enigmatic steps from prebiotic to biological chemistry, we take another road suggesting that primordial peptides acted as template for the self-assembly of the first nucleic acids polymers. Arguing in favour of a sort of archaic "reverse translation" from proteins to RNA, our basic premise is a Hadean Earth where key biomolecules such as amino acids, polypeptides, purines, pyrimidines, nucleosides and nucleotides were available under different prebiotically plausible conditions, including meteorites delivery, shallow ponds and hydrothermal vents scenarios. Supporting a protein-first scenario alternative to the RNA world hypothesis, we propose the primeval occurrence of short two-dimensional peptides termed "selective amino acid- and nucleotide-matching oligopeptides" (henceforward SANMAOs) that noncovalently bind at the same time the polymerized amino acids and the single nucleotides dispersed in the prebiotic milieu. In this theoretical paper, we describe the chemical features of this hypothetical oligopeptide, its biological plausibility and its virtues from an evolutionary perspective. We provide a theoretical example of SANMAO's selective pairing between amino acids and nucleosides, simulating a poly-Glycine peptide that acts as a template to build a purinic chain corresponding to the glycine's extant triplet codon GGG. Further, we discuss how SANMAO might have endorsed the formation of low-fidelity RNA's polymerized strains, well before the appearance of the accurate genetic material's transmission ensured by the current translation apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Tozzi
- Center for Nonlinear Science, Department of Physics, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle, #311427, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA.
| | - Marco Mazzeo
- Erredibi Srl, Via Pazzigno 117, 80146, Naples, Italy
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19
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Heydari E, Schroeder JF, Calef FJ, Parker TJ, Fairén AG. Lacustrine sedimentation by powerful storm waves in Gale crater and its implications for a warming episode on Mars. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18715. [PMID: 37907611 PMCID: PMC10618461 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45068-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This investigation documents that the Rugged Terrain Unit, the Stimson formation, and the Greenheugh sandstone were deposited in a 1200 m-deep lake that formed after the emergence of Mt. Sharp in Gale crater, Mars, nearly 4 billion years ago. In fact, the Curiosity rover traversed on a surface that once was the bottom of this lake and systematically examined the strata that were deposited in its deepest waters on the crater floor to layers that formed along its shoreline on Mt. Sharp. This provided a rare opportunity to document the evolution of one aqueous episode from its inception to its desiccation and to determine the warming mechanism that caused it. Deep water lacustrine siltstones directly overlie conglomerates that were deposited by mega floods on the crater floor. This indicates that the inception phase of the lake was sudden and took place when flood waters poured into the crater. The lake expanded quickly and its shoreline moved up the slope of Mt. Sharp during the lake-level rise phase and deposited a layer of sandstone with large cross beds under the influence of powerful storm waves. The lake-level highstand phase was dominated by strong bottom currents that transported sediments downhill and deposited one of the most distinctive sedimentological features in Gale crater: a layer of sandstone with a 3 km-long field of meter-high subaqueous antidunes (the Washboard) on Mt. Sharp. Bottom current continued downhill and deposited sandstone and siltstone on the foothills of Mt. Sharp and on the crater floor, respectively. The lake-level fall phase caused major erosion of lacustrine strata that resulted in their patchy distribution on Mt. Sharp. Eroded sediments were then transported to deep waters by gravity flows and were re-deposited as conglomerate and sandstone in subaqueous channels and in debris flow fans. The desiccation phase took place in calm waters of the lake. The aqueous episode we investigated was vigorous but short-lived. Its characteristics as determined by our sedimentological study matches those predicted by an asteroid impact. This suggests that the heat generated by an impact transformed Mars into a warm, wet, and turbulent planet. It resulted in planet-wide torrential rain, giant floods on land, powerful storms in the atmosphere, and strong waves in lakes. The absence of age dates prevents the determination of how long the lake existed. Speculative rates of lake-level change suggest that the lake could have lasted for a period ranging from 16 to 240 Ky.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezat Heydari
- Department of Physics, Atmospheric Sciences, and Geoscience, Jackson State University, 1400 Lynch Street, Jackson, MS, 39217, USA.
| | - Jeffrey F Schroeder
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Fred J Calef
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Timothy J Parker
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Alberto G Fairén
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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20
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Boulesteix D, Buch A, Ruscassier N, Freissinet C, Trainer MG, Coscia D, Teinturier S, Stern JC, He Y, Guzman M, Szopa C. Evaluation of the interference of Tenax®TA adsorbent with dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal reagent for gas chromatography-Dragonfly mass spectrometry and future gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in situ analysis. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1709:464388. [PMID: 37742456 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Among future space missions, national aeronautics and space administration (NASA) selected two of them to analyze the diversity in organic content within Martian and Titan soil samples using a gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer (GC-MS) instrument. The Dragonfly space mission is planned to be launched in 2027 to Titan's surface and explore the Shangri-La surface region for years. One of the main goals of this mission is to understand the past and actual abundant prebiotic chemistry on Titan, which is not well characterized yet. The ExoMars space mission is planned to be launched in 2028 to Mars' surface and explore the Oxia Planum and Mawrth Vallis region for years. The main objectives focus on the exploration of the subsurface soil samples, potentially richer in organics, that might be relevant for the search of past life traces on Mars where irradiation does not impact the matrices and organics. One recently used sample pre-treatment for gas chromatography - mass spectrometry analysis is planned on both space missions to detect refractory organic molecules of interest for astrobiology. This pre-treatment is called derivatization and uses a chemical reagent - called dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (DMF-DMA) - to sublimate organic compounds keeping them safe from thermal degradation and conserving the chirality of the molecules extracted from Titan or Mars' matrices. Indeed, the detection of building blocks of life or enantiomeric excess of some organics (e.g. amino acids) after DMF-DMA pre-treatment and GC-MS analyses would be both bioindicators. The main results highlighted by our work on DMF-DMA and Tenax®TA interaction and efficiency to detect organic compounds at ppb levels in a fast and single preparation are first that Tenax®TA did not show the onset of degradation until after 150 experiments - a 120 h at 300 °C experiment - which greatly exceeds the experimental lifetimes for the DraMS and GC-space in situ investigations. Tenax®TA polymer and DMF-DMA produce many by-products (about 70 and 46, respectively, depending on the activation temperature). Further, the interaction between the two leads to the production of 22 additional by-products from DMF-DMA degradation, but these listed by-products do not prevent the detection of trace-level organic molecules after their efficient derivatization and volatilization by DMF-DMA in the oven ahead the GC-MS trap and column.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Boulesteix
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 rue Joliot-Curie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France.
| | - A Buch
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 rue Joliot-Curie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - N Ruscassier
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 rue Joliot-Curie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - C Freissinet
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, Guyancourt 78280, France
| | - M G Trainer
- Solar System Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - D Coscia
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, Guyancourt 78280, France
| | - S Teinturier
- Solar System Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - J C Stern
- Solar System Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - Y He
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 rue Joliot-Curie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - M Guzman
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 rue Joliot-Curie, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France
| | - C Szopa
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, Guyancourt 78280, France
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21
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Rodriguez JAP, Wilhelm MB, Travis B, Kargel JS, Zarroca M, Berman DC, Cohen J, Baker V, Lopez A, Buckner D. Exploring the evidence of Middle Amazonian aquifer sedimentary outburst residues in a Martian chaotic terrain. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17524. [PMID: 37853014 PMCID: PMC10584912 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39060-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The quest for past Martian life hinges on locating surface formations linked to ancient habitability. While Mars' surface is considered to have become cryogenic ~3.7 Ga, stable subsurface aquifers persisted long after this transition. Their extensive collapse triggered megafloods ~3.4 Ga, and the resulting outflow channel excavation generated voluminous sediment eroded from the highlands. These materials are considered to have extensively covered the northern lowlands. Here, we show evidence that a lacustrine sedimentary residue within Hydraotes Chaos formed due to regional aquifer upwelling and ponding into an interior basin. Unlike the northern lowland counterparts, its sedimentary makeup likely consists of aquifer-expelled materials, offering a potential window into the nature of Mars' subsurface habitability. Furthermore, the lake's residue's estimated age is ~1.1 Ga (~3.2 Ga post-peak aquifer drainage during the Late Hesperian), enhancing the prospects for organic matter preservation. This deposit's inferred fine-grained composition, coupled with the presence of coexisting mud volcanoes and diapirs, suggest that its source aquifer existed within abundant subsurface mudstones, water ice, and evaporites, forming part of the region's extremely ancient (~ 4 Ga) highland stratigraphy. Our numerical models suggest that magmatically induced phase segregation within these materials generated enormous water-filled chambers. The meltwater, originating from varying thermally affected mudstone depths, could have potentially harbored diverse biosignatures, which could have become concentrated within the lake's sedimentary residue. Thus, we propose that Hydraotes Chaos merits priority consideration in future missions aiming to detect Martian biosignatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Alexis P Rodriguez
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA.
- External Geodynamics and Hydrogeology Group, Department of Geology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | | - Bryan Travis
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Kargel
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
| | - Mario Zarroca
- External Geodynamics and Hydrogeology Group, Department of Geology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel C Berman
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
| | - Jacob Cohen
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Victor Baker
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Anthony Lopez
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
| | - Denise Buckner
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
- University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
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22
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Tino CJ, Stüeken EE, Arp G, Böttcher ME, Bates SM, Lyons TW. Are Large Sulfur Isotope Variations Biosignatures in an Ancient, Impact-Induced Hydrothermal Mars Analog? ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:1027-1044. [PMID: 37498995 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Discrepancies have emerged concerning the application of sulfur stable isotope ratios as a biosignature in impact crater paleolakes. The first in situ δ34S data from Mars at Gale crater display a ∼75‰ range that has been attributed to an abiotic mechanism. Yet biogeochemical studies of ancient environments on Earth generally interpret δ34S fractionations >21‰ as indicative of a biological origin, and studies of δ34S at analog impact crater lakes on Earth have followed the same approach. We performed analyses (including δ34S, total organic carbon wt%, and scanning electron microscope imaging) on multiple lithologies from the Nördlinger Ries impact crater, focusing on hydrothermally altered impact breccias and associated sedimentary lake-fill sequences to determine whether the δ34S properties define a biosignature. The differences in δ34S between the host lithologies may have resulted from thermochemical sulfate reduction, microbial sulfate reduction, hydrothermal equilibrium fractionation, or any combination thereof. Despite abundant samples and instrumental precision currently exclusive to Earth-bound analyses, assertions of biogenicity from δ34S variations >21‰ at the Miocene Ries impact crater are tenuous. This discourages the use of δ34S as a biosignature in similar environments without independent checks that include the full geologic, biogeochemical, and textural context, as well as a comprehensive acknowledgment of alternative hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Tino
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Eva E Stüeken
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Virtual Planetary Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Gernot Arp
- Geowissenschaftliches Zentrum, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Ernst Böttcher
- Geochemistry & Isotope Biogeochemistry, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), Warnemünde, Germany
- Marine Geochemistry, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- Department of Maritime Systems, Interdisciplinary Faculty (INF), University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Steven M Bates
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Timothy W Lyons
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Virtual Planetary Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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23
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Headen TF, Di Mino C, Youngs TG, Clancy AJ. The structure of liquid thiophene from total neutron scattering. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:25157-25165. [PMID: 37712384 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03932c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The structure of pure liquid thiophene is revealed by using a combination of total neutron scattering experiments with isotopic substitution and molecular simulations via the next generation empirical potential refinement software, Dissolve. In the liquid, thiophene presents three principle local structural motifs within the first solvation shell, in plane and out of the plane of the thiophene ring. Firstly, above/below the ring plane thiophenes present a single H towards the π cloud, due to a combination of electrostatic and dispersion interactions. Secondly, around the ring plane, perpendicular thiophene molecules find 5 preferred sites driven by bifurcated C-H⋯S interactions, showing that hydrogen-sulfur bonding prevails over the charge asymmetry created by the heteroatom. Finally, parallel thiophenes sit above and below the ring, excluded from directly above the ring center and above the sulfur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Headen
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK.
| | - Camilla Di Mino
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, 21 Banbury Rd, Oxford, OX2 6NN, UK
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Tristan Ga Youngs
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK.
| | - Adam J Clancy
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon St, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK.
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24
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Chaouche-Mechidal N, Stalport F, Caupos E, Mebold E, Azémard C, Szopa C, Coll P, Cottin H. Effects of UV and Calcium Perchlorates on Uracil Deposited on Strontium Fluoride Substrates at Mars Pressure and Temperature. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:959-978. [PMID: 37672714 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0137] [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: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Organic matter is actively searched on Mars with current and future space missions as it is a key to detecting potential biosignatures. Given the current harsh environmental conditions at the surface of Mars, many organic compounds might not be preserved over a long period as they are exposed to energetic radiation such as ultraviolet light, which is not filtered above 190 nm by the martian atmosphere. Moreover, the presence of strong oxidizing species in the regolith, such as perchlorate salts, might enhance the photodegradation of organic compounds of astrobiological interest. Because current space instruments analyze samples collected in the upper surface layer, it is necessary to investigate the stability of organic matter at the surface of Mars. Previous experimental studies have shown that uracil, a molecule relevant to astrobiology, is quickly photolyzed when exposed to UV radiation under the temperature and pressure conditions of the martian surface with an experimental quantum efficiency of photodecomposition (φexp) of 0.30 ± 0.26 molecule·photon-1. Moreover, the photolysis of uracil leads to the formation of more stable photoproducts that were identified as uracil dimers. The present work aims to characterize the additional effect of calcium perchlorate detected on Mars on the degradation of uracil. Results show that the presence of calcium perchlorate enhances the photodecomposition of uracil with φexp = 12.3 ± 8.3 molecule·photon-1. Although some of the photoproducts formed during these experiments are common to those formed from pure uracil only, the Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) detection of previously unseen chemical functions such as alkyne C ≡ C or nitrile C ≡ N has shown that additional chemical species are formed in the presence of calcium perchlorate in the irradiated sample. This implies that the effect of calcium perchlorate on the photolysis of uracil is not only kinetic but also related to the nature of the photoproducts formed.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Chaouche-Mechidal
- Univ Paris Est Creteil and Université Paris Cité, CNRS, LISA, F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - F Stalport
- Université Paris Cité and Univ Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, LISA, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - E Caupos
- Univ Paris Est Creteil and Université Paris Cité, CNRS, LISA, F-94010 Créteil, France
- Ecole des Ponts, LEESU, F-77455 Champs-sur-Marne, France
| | - E Mebold
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, OSU-EFLUVE, F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - C Azémard
- Univ Paris Est Creteil and Université Paris Cité, CNRS, LISA, F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - C Szopa
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 78280 Guyancourt, France
| | - P Coll
- Université Paris Cité and Univ Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, LISA, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - H Cottin
- Univ Paris Est Creteil and Université Paris Cité, CNRS, LISA, F-94010 Créteil, France
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25
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Li H, Lang J, Foley CD, Zádor J, Suits AG. Sulfur ( 3P) Reaction with Conjugated Dienes Gives Cyclization to Thiophenes under Single Collision Conditions. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:7611-7617. [PMID: 37594479 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c01953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
We combine crossed-beam velocity map imaging with high-level ab initio/transition state theory modeling of the reaction of S(3P) with 1,3-butadiene and isoprene under single collision conditions. For the butadiene reaction, we detect both H and H2 loss from the initial adduct, and from reaction with isoprene, we see both H loss and methyl loss. Theoretical calculations confirm these arise following intersystem crossing to the singlet surface forming long-lived intermediates. For the butadiene reaction, these lose H2 to form thiophene as the dominant channel, H to form the detected 2H-thiophenyl radical, or ethene, giving thioketene. For isoprene, additional reaction products are suggested by theory, including the observed H and methyl loss radicals, but also methyl thiophene, thioformaldehyde, and thioketene. The results for S(3P) + 1,3-butadiene, showing direct cyclization to the aromatic product and yielding few bimolecular product channels, are in striking contrast to those for the analogous O(3P) reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Jinxin Lang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Casey D Foley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Judit Zádor
- Combustion Research Facility, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California 94551, United States
| | - Arthur G Suits
- Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
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26
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Boulesteix D, Buch A, Samson J, Millan M, Jomaa J, Coscia D, Moulay V, McIntosh O, Freissinet C, Stern JC, Szopa C. Influence of pH and salts on DMF-DMA derivatization for future Space Applications. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1266:341270. [PMID: 37244655 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
For gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses performed in situ, pH and salts (e.g., chlorides, sulfates) may enhance or inhibit the detection of targeted molecules of interest for astrobiology (e.g. amino acids, fatty acids, nucleobases). Obviously, salts influence the ionic strength of the solutions, the pH value, and the salting effect. But the presence of salts may also produce complexes or mask ions in the sample (masking effect on hydroxide ion, ammonia, etc.). For future space missions, wet chemistry will be conducted before GC-MS analyses to detect the full organic content of a sample. The defined organic targets for space GC-MS instrument requirements are generally strongly polar or refractory organic compounds, such as amino acids playing a role in the protein production and metabolism regulations for life on Earth, nucleobases essential for DNA and RNA formation and mutation, and fatty acids that composed most of the eukaryote and prokaryote membranes on Earth and resist to environmental stress long enough to still be observed on Mars or ocean worlds in geological well-preserved records. The wet-chemistry chemical treatment consists of reacting an organic reagent with the sample to extract and volatilize polar or refractory organic molecules (i.e. dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal (DMF-DMA) in this study). DMF-DMA derivatizes functional groups with labile H in organics, without modifying their chiral conformation. The influence of pH and salt concentration of extraterrestrial materials on the DMF-DMA derivatization remains understudied. In this research, we studied the influence of different salts and pHs on the derivatization of organic molecules of astrobiological interest with DMF-DMA, such as amino acids, carboxylic acids, and nucleobases. Results show that salts and pH influence the derivatization yield, and that their effect depend on the nature of the organics and the salts studied. Second, monovalent salts lead to a higher or similar organic recovery compared to divalent salts regardless of pH below 8. However, a pH above 8 inhibits the DMF-DMA derivatization influencing the carboxylic acid function to become an anionic group without labile H. Overall, considering the negative effect of the salts on the detection of organic molecules, future space missions may have to consider a desalting step prior to derivatization and GC-MS analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Boulesteix
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 Rue Joliot-Curie, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - A Buch
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 Rue Joliot-Curie, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - J Samson
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 Rue Joliot-Curie, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - M Millan
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - J Jomaa
- Planetary Environments Laboratory (Code 699), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA; School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 42 W. Warren Ave, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - D Coscia
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - V Moulay
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - O McIntosh
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - C Freissinet
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - J C Stern
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA
| | - C Szopa
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
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27
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An in situ search for organic molecules in Mars's Jezero Crater. Nature 2023:10.1038/d41586-023-02007-8. [PMID: 37438622 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-02007-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
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28
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Sharma S, Roppel RD, Murphy AE, Beegle LW, Bhartia R, Steele A, Hollis JR, Siljeström S, McCubbin FM, Asher SA, Abbey WJ, Allwood AC, Berger EL, Bleefeld BL, Burton AS, Bykov SV, Cardarelli EL, Conrad PG, Corpolongo A, Czaja AD, DeFlores LP, Edgett K, Farley KA, Fornaro T, Fox AC, Fries MD, Harker D, Hickman-Lewis K, Huggett J, Imbeah S, Jakubek RS, Kah LC, Lee C, Liu Y, Magee A, Minitti M, Moore KR, Pascuzzo A, Rodriguez Sanchez-Vahamonde C, Scheller EL, Shkolyar S, Stack KM, Steadman K, Tuite M, Uckert K, Werynski A, Wiens RC, Williams AJ, Winchell K, Kennedy MR, Yanchilina A. Diverse organic-mineral associations in Jezero crater, Mars. Nature 2023; 619:724-732. [PMID: 37438522 PMCID: PMC10371864 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06143-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The presence and distribution of preserved organic matter on the surface of Mars can provide key information about the Martian carbon cycle and the potential of the planet to host life throughout its history. Several types of organic molecules have been previously detected in Martian meteorites1 and at Gale crater, Mars2-4. Evaluating the diversity and detectability of organic matter elsewhere on Mars is important for understanding the extent and diversity of Martian surface processes and the potential availability of carbon sources1,5,6. Here we report the detection of Raman and fluorescence spectra consistent with several species of aromatic organic molecules in the Máaz and Séítah formations within the Crater Floor sequences of Jezero crater, Mars. We report specific fluorescence-mineral associations consistent with many classes of organic molecules occurring in different spatial patterns within these compositionally distinct formations, potentially indicating different fates of carbon across environments. Our findings suggest there may be a diversity of aromatic molecules prevalent on the Martian surface, and these materials persist despite exposure to surface conditions. These potential organic molecules are largely found within minerals linked to aqueous processes, indicating that these processes may have had a key role in organic synthesis, transport or preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunanda Sharma
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Ryan D Roppel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Andrew Steele
- Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Sandra Siljeström
- Department of Methodology, Textiles and Medical Technology, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Francis M McCubbin
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sanford A Asher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - William J Abbey
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Abigail C Allwood
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Eve L Berger
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas State University, Houston, TX, USA
- Jacobs JETS II, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Aaron S Burton
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sergei V Bykov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Emily L Cardarelli
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Pamela G Conrad
- Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Andrea Corpolongo
- Department of Geosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Andrew D Czaja
- Department of Geosciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Lauren P DeFlores
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Kenneth A Farley
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Teresa Fornaro
- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, INAF, Florence, Italy
| | - Allison C Fox
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas State University, Houston, TX, USA
- Jacobs JETS II, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Marc D Fries
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David Harker
- Malin Space Science Systems, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Samara Imbeah
- Malin Space Science Systems, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ryan S Jakubek
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Jacobs JETS II, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linda C Kah
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Carina Lee
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas State University, Houston, TX, USA
- Jacobs JETS II, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Angela Magee
- Malin Space Science Systems, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Kelsey R Moore
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Eva L Scheller
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Svetlana Shkolyar
- Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kathryn M Stack
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Kim Steadman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Michael Tuite
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Kyle Uckert
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Roger C Wiens
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Amy J Williams
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Katherine Winchell
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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29
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Boulesteix D, Buch A, Williams AJ, He Y, Freissinet C, Trainer MG, Stern JC, Szopa C. Comparison of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), trimethylsulfonium hydroxide (TMSH), and trimethylphenylammonium hydroxide (TMPAH) thermochemolysis for in situ space analysis of organic molecules in planetary environments. Talanta 2023; 257:124283. [PMID: 36870123 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
One of the main objectives of present and future space exploration missions dedicated to astrobiology is the detection of organic molecules of interest for life (e.g. amino and fatty acids). With this aim, a sample preparation and a gas chromatograph (connected to a mass spectrometer) are generally used. To date, tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) has been the first and only thermochemolysis reagent to be used for in situ sample preparation and chemical analysis of planetary environments. Although TMAH is widely used in terrestrial laboratories, numerous applications also leverage other thermochemolysis reagents that may be more relevant than TMAH to meet both scientific and technical objectives of space instrumentation. The present study compares the performance of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), trimethylsulfonium hydroxide (TMSH), and trimethylphenylammonium hydroxide (TMPAH) reagents on molecules of interest to astrobiology. The study focuses on the analyses of 13 carboxylic acids (C7-C30), 17 proteinic amino acids, and the 5 nucleobases. Here we report the derivatization yield without stirring or adding solvents, the detection sensitivity with mass spectrometry, and the nature of the degradation products from the reagents produced during pyrolysis. We conclude that TMSH and TMAH are the best reagents for analyzing carboxylic acids and nucleobases. Amino acids are not relevant targets for a thermochemolysis over 300 °C as they are degraded and showed high limits of detection. As TMAH, and probably TMSH, meet the space instrumentation requirements, this study informs sample treatment approaches prior to GC-MS analysis in in situ space studies. The thermochemolysis reaction using TMAH or TMSH is also recommended for space return missions to extract organics from a macromolecular matrix, derivatize polar or refractory organic targets, and volatilize with the fewest organic degradations.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Boulesteix
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 Rue Joliot-Curie, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - A Buch
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 Rue Joliot-Curie, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - A J Williams
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Y He
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, 8-10 Rue Joliot-Curie, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - C Freissinet
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - M G Trainer
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA
| | - J C Stern
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA
| | - C Szopa
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ University Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
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30
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Broz A, Aguilar J, Xu X, Silva LCR. Accumulation of radiocarbon in ancient landscapes: A small but significant input of unknown origin. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7476. [PMID: 37156787 PMCID: PMC10167333 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34080-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The persistence of organic carbon (C) in soil is most often considered at timescales ranging from tens to thousands of years, but the study of organic C in paleosols (i.e., ancient, buried soils) suggests that paleosols may have the capacity to preserve organic compounds for tens of millions of years. However, a quantitative assessment of C sources and sinks from these ancient terrestrial landscapes is complicated by additions of geologically modern (~ 10 Ka) C, primarily due to the infiltration of dissolved organic carbon. In this study, we quantified total organic C and radiocarbon activity in samples collected from 28- to 33-million-year-old paleosols that are naturally exposed as unvegetated badlands near eastern Oregon's "Painted Hills". We also used thermal and evolved gas analysis to examine the thermodynamic stability of different pools of C in bulk samples. The study site is part of a ~ 400-m-thick sequence of Eocene-Oligocene (45-28 Ma) paleosols, and thus we expected to find radiocarbon-free samples preserved in deep layers of the lithified, brick-like exposed outcrops. Total organic C, measured in three individual profiles spanning depth transects from the outcrop surface to a 1-m depth, ranged from 0.01 to 0.2 wt% with no clear C-concentration or age-depth profile. Ten radiocarbon dates from the same profiles reveal radiocarbon ages of ~ 11,000-30,000 years BP that unexpectedly indicate additions of potentially modern organic C. A two-endmember mixing model for radiocarbon activity suggests that modern C may compose ~ 0.5-2.4% of the total organic C pool. Thermal and evolved gas analysis showed the presence of two distinct pools of organic C, but there was no direct evidence that C compounds were associated with clay minerals. These results challenge the assumption that ancient badland landscapes are inert and "frozen in time" and instead suggest they readily interact with the modern C cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Broz
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
| | - Jerod Aguilar
- Department of Earth Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 97403, USA
| | - Xiaomei Xu
- University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Lucas C R Silva
- Department of Geography, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
- Environmental Studies, Department of Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
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31
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Ni Z, Arevalo R, Bardyn A, Willhite L, Ray S, Southard A, Danell R, Graham J, Li X, Chou L, Briois C, Thirkell L, Makarov A, Brinckerhoff W, Eigenbrode J, Junge K, Nunn BL. Detection of Short Peptides as Putative Biosignatures of Psychrophiles via Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:657-669. [PMID: 37134219 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Studies of psychrophilic life on Earth provide chemical clues as to how extraterrestrial life could maintain viability in cryogenic environments. If living systems in ocean worlds (e.g., Enceladus) share a similar set of 3-mer and 4-mer peptides to the psychrophile Colwellia psychrerythraea on Earth, spaceflight technologies and analytical methods need to be developed to detect and sequence these putative biosignatures. We demonstrate that laser desorption mass spectrometry, as implemented by the CORALS spaceflight prototype instrument, enables the detection of protonated peptides, their dimers, and metal adducts. The addition of silicon nanoparticles promotes the ionization efficiency, improves mass resolving power and mass accuracies via reduction of metastable decay, and facilitates peptide de novo sequencing. The CORALS instrument, which integrates a pulsed UV laser source and an Orbitrap™ mass analyzer capable of ultrahigh mass resolving powers and mass accuracies, represents an emerging technology for planetary exploration and a pathfinder for advanced technique development for astrobiological objectives. Teaser: Current spaceflight prototype instrument proposed to visit ocean worlds can detect and sequence peptides that are found enriched in at least one strain of microbe surviving in subzero icy brines via silicon nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqin Ni
- University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Anais Bardyn
- University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Soumya Ray
- University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Ryan Danell
- Danell Consulting, Winterville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jacob Graham
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiang Li
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Luoth Chou
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Christelle Briois
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace, Orléans, France
| | - Laurent Thirkell
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace, Orléans, France
| | | | | | | | - Karen Junge
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Brook L Nunn
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Ferrari M, De Angelis S, De Sanctis MC, Frigeri A, Altieri F, Ammannito E, Formisano M, Vinogradoff V. Constraining the Rosalind Franklin Rover/Ma_MISS Instrument Capability in the Detection of Organics. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:691-704. [PMID: 37126783 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies (Ma_MISS) instrument is a miniaturized visible and near-infrared spectrometer that is integrated into the drilling system of the ESA Rosalind Franklin rover, which is devoted to subsurface exploration on Mars. Ma_MISS will acquire spectral data on the Martian subsurface from excavated borehole walls. The spectral data collected by Ma_MISS on unexposed rocks will be crucial for determination of the composition of subsurface rocks and optical and physical properties of materials (i.e., grain size). Ma_MISS will further contribute to a reconstruction of the stratigraphic column and acquire data on subsurface geological processes. Ma_MISS data may also inform with regard to the presence of potential biomarkers in the subsurface, given the presence of organic matter that may affect some spectral parameters. In this framework, we performed a wide range of measurements using the laboratory model of the Ma_MISS to investigate mineral/organic mixtures in different proportions. We prepared mixtures by combining kaolinite and nontronite with glycine, asphaltite, polyoxymethylene, and benzoic acid. These organic compounds show different spectral characteristics in the visible and near-infrared; therefore their presence can be detected by the Ma_MISS instrument. Our results indicate that the Ma_MISS instrument can detect organic material down to abundances of around 1 wt %. In particular, the data collected on low-concentration mixtures show that, by analyzing sediments with a grain size smaller than the Ma_MISS spatial resolution, the instrument can still discern those points where organic matter is present from points with exclusive mineral composition. The results also show that a collection of multiple contiguous measurements on a hypothetical borehole wall could help indicate the presence of organic matter in clay-rich soils if present.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ferrari
- Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, IAPS-INAF, Rome, Italy
| | - S De Angelis
- Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, IAPS-INAF, Rome, Italy
| | - M C De Sanctis
- Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, IAPS-INAF, Rome, Italy
| | - A Frigeri
- Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, IAPS-INAF, Rome, Italy
| | - F Altieri
- Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, IAPS-INAF, Rome, Italy
| | | | - M Formisano
- Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, IAPS-INAF, Rome, Italy
| | - V Vinogradoff
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS-UMR 7345, PIIM, Marseille, France
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33
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Perron A, Stalport F, Dupraz S, Person A, Coll P, Szopa C, Navarro-González R, Glavin D, Vaulay MJ, Ménez B. Thermal Stability of (Bio)Carbonates: A Potential Signature for Detecting Life on Mars? ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:359-371. [PMID: 37017440 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0202] [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: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The environmental conditions that prevail on the surface of Mars (i.e., high levels of radiation and oxidants) are not favorable for the long-term preservation of organic compounds on which all strategies for finding life on Mars have been based to date. Since life commonly produces minerals that are considered more resilient, the search for biominerals could constitute a promising alternative approach. Carbonates are major biominerals on Earth, and although they have not been detected in large amounts at the martian surface, recent observations show that they could constitute a significant part of the inorganic component in the martian soil. Previous studies have shown that calcite and aragonite produced by eukaryotes thermally decompose at temperatures 15°C lower than those of their abiotic counterparts. By using carbonate concretions formed by microorganisms, we find that natural and experimental carbonates produced by prokaryotes decompose at 28°C below their abiotic counterparts. The study of this sample set serves as a proof of concept for the differential thermal analysis approach to distinguish abiotic from bio-related carbonates. This difference in carbonate decomposition temperature can be used as a first physical evidence of life on Mars to be searched by in situ space exploration missions with the resolution and the technical constraints of the available onboard instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Perron
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), CNRS UMR 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Cité, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL), Créteil, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France
| | - Fabien Stalport
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), CNRS UMR 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Cité, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL), Créteil, France
| | - Sébastien Dupraz
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France
| | - Alain Person
- Laboratoire de Biominéralisations et Paléoenvironnements, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Patrice Coll
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), CNRS UMR 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Cité, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL), Créteil, France
| | - Cyril Szopa
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL), CNRS UMR 8190, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, Guyancourt, France
| | - Rafael Navarro-González
- Laboratorio de Química de Plasmas y Estudios Planetarios, Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Daniel Glavin
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Marie Josèphe Vaulay
- Laboratoire Interfaces Traitements Organisation et DYnamique des Systèmes (ITODYS), CNRS UMR 7086, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Bénédicte Ménez
- Université Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France
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34
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Finkel PL, Carrizo D, Parro V, Sánchez-García L. An Overview of Lipid Biomarkers in Terrestrial Extreme Environments with Relevance for Mars Exploration. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:563-604. [PMID: 36880883 PMCID: PMC10150655 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Lipid molecules are organic compounds, insoluble in water, and based on carbon-carbon chains that form an integral part of biological cell membranes. As such, lipids are ubiquitous in life on Earth, which is why they are considered useful biomarkers for life detection in terrestrial environments. These molecules display effective membrane-forming properties even under geochemically hostile conditions that challenge most of microbial life, which grants lipids a universal biomarker character suitable for life detection beyond Earth, where a putative biological membrane would also be required. What discriminates lipids from nucleic acids or proteins is their capacity to retain diagnostic information about their biological source in their recalcitrant hydrocarbon skeletons for thousands of millions of years, which is indispensable in the field of astrobiology given the time span that the geological ages of planetary bodies encompass. This work gathers studies that have employed lipid biomarker approaches for paleoenvironmental surveys and life detection purposes in terrestrial environments with extreme conditions: hydrothermal, hyperarid, hypersaline, and highly acidic, among others; all of which are analogous to current or past conditions on Mars. Although some of the compounds discussed in this review may be abiotically synthesized, we focus on those with a biological origin, namely lipid biomarkers. Therefore, along with appropriate complementary techniques such as bulk and compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis, this work recapitulates and reevaluates the potential of lipid biomarkers as an additional, powerful tool to interrogate whether there is life on Mars, or if there ever was.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo L Finkel
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Physics and Mathematics and Department of Automatics, University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Victor Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain
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35
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Azua-Bustos A, Fairén AG, González-Silva C, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Carrizo D, Sánchez-García L, Parro V, Fernández-Martínez MÁ, Escudero C, Muñoz-Iglesias V, Fernández-Sampedro M, Molina A, Villadangos MG, Moreno-Paz M, Wierzchos J, Ascaso C, Fornaro T, Brucato JR, Poggiali G, Manrique JA, Veneranda M, López-Reyes G, Sanz-Arranz A, Rull F, Ollila AM, Wiens RC, Reyes-Newell A, Clegg SM, Millan M, Johnson SS, McIntosh O, Szopa C, Freissinet C, Sekine Y, Fukushi K, Morida K, Inoue K, Sakuma H, Rampe E. Dark microbiome and extremely low organics in Atacama fossil delta unveil Mars life detection limits. Nat Commun 2023; 14:808. [PMID: 36810853 PMCID: PMC9944251 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36172-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying unequivocal signs of life on Mars is one of the most important objectives for sending missions to the red planet. Here we report Red Stone, a 163-100 My alluvial fan-fan delta that formed under arid conditions in the Atacama Desert, rich in hematite and mudstones containing clays such as vermiculite and smectites, and therefore geologically analogous to Mars. We show that Red Stone samples display an important number of microorganisms with an unusual high rate of phylogenetic indeterminacy, what we refer to as "dark microbiome", and a mix of biosignatures from extant and ancient microorganisms that can be barely detected with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. Our analyses by testbed instruments that are on or will be sent to Mars unveil that although the mineralogy of Red Stone matches that detected by ground-based instruments on the red planet, similarly low levels of organics will be hard, if not impossible to detect in Martian rocks depending on the instrument and technique used. Our results stress the importance in returning samples to Earth for conclusively addressing whether life ever existed on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain. .,Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Alberto G Fairén
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel Carrizo
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Victor Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Antonio Molina
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Jacek Wierzchos
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Ascaso
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa Fornaro
- INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Florence, Italy
| | | | | | - Jose Antonio Manrique
- Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Ann M Ollila
- Purdue University, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, West Lafayette, USA
| | - Roger C Wiens
- Purdue University, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, West Lafayette, USA
| | | | - Samuel M Clegg
- Purdue University, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, West Lafayette, USA
| | - Maëva Millan
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.,NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Solar System Exploration Division, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA.,LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - Sarah Stewart Johnson
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.,Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Ophélie McIntosh
- INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Florence, Italy.,Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Cyril Szopa
- Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Caroline Freissinet
- Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Yasuhito Sekine
- Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.,Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Keisuke Fukushi
- Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Koki Morida
- Division of Natural System, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kosuke Inoue
- Division of Natural System, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sakuma
- National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Elizabeth Rampe
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
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36
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Life on Mars, can we detect it? Nat Commun 2023; 14:807. [PMID: 36810588 PMCID: PMC9944262 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36176-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
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37
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Self-Similar Patterns from Abiotic Decarboxylation Metabolism through Chemically Oscillating Reactions: A Prebiotic Model for the Origin of Life. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13020551. [PMID: 36836908 PMCID: PMC9960873 DOI: 10.3390/life13020551] [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: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The origin of life must have included an abiotic stage of carbon redox reactions that involved electron transport chains and the production of lifelike patterns. Chemically oscillating reactions (COR) are abiotic, spontaneous, out-of-equilibrium, and redox reactions that involve the decarboxylation of carboxylic acids with strong oxidants and strong acids to produce CO2 and characteristic self-similar patterns. Those patterns have circular concentricity, radial geometries, characteristic circular twins, colour gradients, cavity structures, and branching to parallel alignment. We propose that COR played a role during the prebiotic cycling of carboxylic acids, furthering the new model for geology where COR can also explain the patterns of diagenetic spheroids in sediments. The patterns of COR in Petri dishes are first considered and compared to those observed in some eukaryotic lifeforms. The molecular structures and functions of reactants in COR are then compared to key biological metabolic processes. We conclude that the newly recognised similarities in compositions and patterns warrant future research to better investigate the role of halogens in biochemistry; COR in life-forms, including in humans; and the COR-stage of prebiotic carbon cycling on other planets, such as Mars.
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38
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Liu W, Wu Z, Chen W, Jin G, Zhang W, Lv X, Yu P, Zhao H. A potential application for life-related organics detection on Mars by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13560. [PMID: 36846659 PMCID: PMC9946848 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13560] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Life information searching is a hot point for Mars exploration. Ancient Mars was very likely to reach a habitable environment, and there was a real possibility of arising life on Mars. However, the current Mars has a harsh environment. Under such conditions, life materials on Mars are supposed to have taken the form of relatively primitive microbial or organic residues, which might be preserved in some mineral matrices. Detection of these remnants is of great significance for understanding the origin and evolution of life on Mars. The best detection method is in-situ detection or sample return. Herein, diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) was used to detect characteristic spectra and the limit of detection (LOD) of potential representative organic compounds with associated minerals. In view of high oxidation due to the electrostatic discharge (ESD) during dust actives on Martian surface. The degradation of organic matter by ESD process was studied under simulated Mars conditions. Our results show that the spectral characteristics of organic matter are significantly different from that of associated minerals. The different organic samples have different mass loss and color change after ESD reaction. And the signal intensity of infrared diffuse reflection spectrum can also reflect the changes of organic molecules after ESD reaction. Our results indicated that the degradation products of organics rather than organic itself are most likely to be founded on current Martian surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Liu
- School of Space Science and Physics, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Research Center for Biological Adaptability in Space Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China
| | - Zhongchen Wu
- School of Space Science and Physics, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Research Center for Biological Adaptability in Space Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Corresponding author. School of Space Science and Physics, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China.
| | - Wenxi Chen
- School of Space Science and Physics, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Research Center for Biological Adaptability in Space Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China
| | - Guobin Jin
- School of Space Science and Physics, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Research Center for Biological Adaptability in Space Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Research Center for Biological Adaptability in Space Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China
| | - Xinfang Lv
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Research Center for Biological Adaptability in Space Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China
| | - Pei Yu
- SDU-ANU Joint Science College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Research Center for Biological Adaptability in Space Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China
| | - Hong Zhao
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China,Research Center for Biological Adaptability in Space Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, China
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39
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Chen Y, Sun Y, Liu L, Shen J, Qu Y, Pan Y, Lin W. Biosignatures Preserved in Carbonate Nodules from the Western Qaidam Basin, NW China: Implications for Life Detection on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:172-182. [PMID: 36577041 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The search for organic matter on Mars is one of the major objectives of Mars exploration. However, limited detection of organic signals by Mars rovers to date demands further investigation on this topic. The Curiosity rover recently discovered numerous nodules in Gale Crater on Mars. These nodules have been considered to precipitate in the neutral-to-alkaline and saline diagenetic fluids and could be beneficial for organic preservation. Here, we examine this possibility by studying the carbonate nodules in the western Qaidam Basin, NW China, one of the terrestrial analog sites for Mars. Fourier transform infrared spectra of the carbonate nodules reveal that the aliphatic and aromatic molecules can be readily preserved inside nodules in Mars-like environments. The chain-branching index of the Qaidam nodules suggests that the diagenetic fluids where nodules precipitated were able to support diverse microbial communities that could vary with the water salinity. Findings of this study provide new perspectives on the astrobiological significance of nodules in Gale Crater and the further detection of organic matter on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Liu
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxun Shen
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuangao Qu
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Yongxin Pan
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Lin
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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40
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Schmitt-Kopplin P, Matzka M, Ruf A, Menez B, Chennaoui Aoudjehane H, Harir M, Lucio M, Hertzog J, Hertkorn N, Gougeon RD, Hoffmann V, Hinman NW, Ferrière L, Greshake A, Gabelica Z, Trif L, Steele A. Complex carbonaceous matter in Tissint martian meteorites give insights into the diversity of organic geochemistry on Mars. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd6439. [PMID: 36630504 PMCID: PMC9833655 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add6439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We report a huge organic diversity in the Tissint Mars meteorite and the sampling of several mineralogical lithologies, which revealed that the organic molecules were nonuniformly distributed in functionality and abundance. The range of organics in Tissint meteorite were abundant C3-7 aliphatic branched carboxylic acids and aldehydes, olefins, and polyaromatics with and without heteroatoms in a homologous oxidation structural continuum. Organomagnesium compounds were extremely abundant in olivine macrocrystals and in the melt veins, reflecting specific organo-synsthesis processes in close interaction with the magnesium silicates and temperature stresses, as previously observed. The diverse chemistry and abundance in complex molecules reveal heterogeneity in organic speciation within the minerals grown in the martian mantle and crust that may have evolved over geological time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin
- Technische Universität München, Chair of Analytical Food Chemistry, Freising-Weihenstephan 85354, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Center for Astrochemical Studies, Garching 85748, Germany
- Helmholtz München, Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Marco Matzka
- Helmholtz München, Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Alexander Ruf
- Technische Universität München, Chair of Analytical Food Chemistry, Freising-Weihenstephan 85354, Germany
- Excellence Cluster ORIGINS, Boltzmannstraße 2, Garching 85748, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Butenandtstr. 5-13, Munich 81377, Germany
| | - Benedicte Menez
- Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS - 1, rue Jussieu, Paris Cedex 05 75238, France
| | - Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane
- Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock, GAIA Laboratory, Hassan II University of Casablanca, km 8 Route d’El Jadida, Casablanca 20150, Morocco
| | - Mourad Harir
- Helmholtz München, Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Marianna Lucio
- Helmholtz München, Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Jasmine Hertzog
- Technische Universität München, Chair of Analytical Food Chemistry, Freising-Weihenstephan 85354, Germany
- Helmholtz München, Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Norbert Hertkorn
- Helmholtz München, Analytical BioGeoChemistry, Neuherberg 85764, Germany
| | - Régis D. Gougeon
- UMR Procédés Alimentaires et Microbiologiques, Université de Bourgogne/AgroSupDijon, Institut Universitaire de la Vigne et du Vin Jules Guyot, Dijon 21000, France
| | - Victor Hoffmann
- Faculty of Geosciences, Dep. Geo- and Environmental Sciences, LMU, Muenchen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Zelimir Gabelica
- Université de Haute Alsace, École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Mulhouse, F-68094 Mulhouse Cedex, France
| | - László Trif
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrew Steele
- Earth and Planetary Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, 5251 Broad Branch Rd., Washington, DC 20015, USA
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41
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Bennett KA, Fox VK, Bryk A, Dietrich W, Fedo C, Edgar L, Thorpe MT, Williams AJ, Wong GM, Dehouck E, McAdam A, Sutter B, Millan M, Banham SG, Bedford CC, Bristow T, Fraeman A, Vasavada AR, Grotzinger J, Thompson L, O’Connell‐Cooper C, Gasda P, Rudolph A, Sullivan R, Arvidson R, Cousin A, Horgan B, Stack KM, Treiman A, Eigenbrode J, Caravaca G. The Curiosity Rover's Exploration of Glen Torridon, Gale Crater, Mars: An Overview of the Campaign and Scientific Results. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2023; 128:e2022JE007185. [PMID: 37034460 PMCID: PMC10078523 DOI: 10.1029/2022je007185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, explored the clay mineral-bearing Glen Torridon region for 1 Martian year between January 2019 and January 2021, including a short campaign onto the Greenheugh pediment. The Glen Torridon campaign sought to characterize the geology of the area, seek evidence of habitable environments, and document the onset of a potentially global climatic transition during the Hesperian era. Curiosity roved 5 km in total throughout Glen Torridon, from the Vera Rubin ridge to the northern margin of the Greenheugh pediment. Curiosity acquired samples from 11 drill holes during this campaign and conducted the first Martian thermochemolytic-based organics detection experiment with the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite. The lowest elevations within Glen Torridon represent a continuation of lacustrine Murray formation deposits, but overlying widespread cross bedded sandstones indicate an interval of more energetic fluvial environments and prompted the definition of a new stratigraphic formation in the Mount Sharp group called the Carolyn Shoemaker formation. Glen Torridon hosts abundant phyllosilicates yet remains compositionally and mineralogically comparable to the rest of the Mount Sharp group. Glen Torridon samples have a great diversity and abundance of sulfur-bearing organic molecules, which are consistent with the presence of ancient refractory organic matter. The Glen Torridon region experienced heterogeneous diagenesis, with the most striking alteration occurring just below the Siccar Point unconformity at the Greenheugh pediment. Results from the pediment campaign show that the capping sandstone formed within the Stimson Hesperian aeolian sand sea that experienced seasonal variations in wind direction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valerie K. Fox
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMNUSA
- Division of Geologic and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Alex Bryk
- Department of Earth and Planetary ScienceUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - William Dietrich
- Department of Earth and Planetary ScienceUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Christopher Fedo
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Lauren Edgar
- Astrogeology Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyFlagstaffAZUSA
| | | | - Amy J. Williams
- Department of Geological SciencesUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
| | - Gregory M. Wong
- Department of GeosciencesThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
| | - Erwin Dehouck
- Université de LyonUCBLENSLUJMCNRSLGL‐TPEVilleurbanneFrance
| | - Amy McAdam
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - Brad Sutter
- Jacobs TechnologyHoustonTXUSA
- NASA Johnson Space CenterHoustonTXUSA
| | - Maëva Millan
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
- Department of BiologyGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
- Laboratoire Atmosphère, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), LATMOS/IPSLUVSQ Université Paris‐Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRSGuyancourtFrance
| | - Steven G. Banham
- Department of Earth Sciences and EngineeringImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Candice C. Bedford
- NASA Johnson Space CenterHoustonTXUSA
- Lunar and Planetary InstituteHoustonTXUSA
| | | | - Abigail Fraeman
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Ashwin R. Vasavada
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - John Grotzinger
- Division of Geologic and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Lucy Thompson
- Planetary and Space Science CentreUniversity of New BrunswickFrederictonNBCanada
| | | | | | - Amanda Rudolph
- Earth Atmosphere and Planetary SciencePurdue UniversityWest LafayetteINUSA
| | | | - Ray Arvidson
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Agnes Cousin
- IRAPUniversité de ToulouseCNRSCNESToulouseFrance
| | - Briony Horgan
- Earth Atmosphere and Planetary SciencePurdue UniversityWest LafayetteINUSA
| | - Kathryn M. Stack
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
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42
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Razzell Hollis J, Sharma S, Abbey W, Bhartia R, Beegle L, Fries M, Hein JD, Monacelli B, Nordman AD. A Deep Ultraviolet Raman and Fluorescence Spectral Library of 51 Organic Compounds for the SHERLOC Instrument Onboard Mars 2020. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:1-23. [PMID: 36367974 PMCID: PMC9810352 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We report deep ultraviolet (DUV) Raman and Fluorescence spectra obtained on a SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) analog instrument for 51 pure organic compounds, including 5 carboxylic acids, 10 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 24 amino acids, 6 nucleobases, and 6 different grades of macromolecular carbon from humic acid to graphite. Organic mixtures were not investigated. We discuss how the DUV fluorescence and Raman spectra exhibited by different organic compounds allow for detection, classification, and identification of organics by SHERLOC. We find that 1- and 2-ring aromatic compounds produce detectable fluorescence within SHERLOC's spectral range (250-355 nm), but fluorescence spectra are not unique enough to enable easy identification of particular compounds. However, both aromatic and aliphatic compounds can be identified by their Raman spectra, with the number of Raman peaks and their positions being highly specific to chemical structure, within SHERLOC's reported spectral uncertainty of ±5 cm-1. For compounds that are not in the Library, classification is possible by comparing the general number and position of dominant Raman peaks with trends for different kinds of organic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Razzell Hollis
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sunanda Sharma
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - William Abbey
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | - Luther Beegle
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Marc Fries
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Hein
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Brian Monacelli
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Austin D. Nordman
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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43
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Kashyap S, Sklute EC, Wang P, Tague TJ, Dyar MD, Holden JF. Spectral Detection of Nanophase Iron Minerals Produced by Fe(III)-Reducing Hyperthermophilic Crenarchaea. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:43-59. [PMID: 36070586 PMCID: PMC9810357 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mineral transformations by two hyperthermophilic Fe(III)-reducing crenarchaea, Pyrodictium delaneyi and Pyrobaculum islandicum, were examined using synthetic nanophase ferrihydrite, lepidocrocite, and akaganeite separately as terminal electron acceptors and compared with abiotic mineral transformations under similar conditions. Spectral analyses using visible-near-infrared, Fourier-transform infrared attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), Raman, and Mössbauer spectroscopies were complementary and revealed formation of various biomineral assemblages distinguishable from abiotic phases. The most extensive biogenic mineral transformation occurred with ferrihydrite, which formed primarily magnetite with spectral features similar to biomagnetite relative to a synthetic magnetite standard. The FTIR-ATR spectra of ferrihydrite bioreduced by P. delaneyi also showed possible cell-associated organics such as exopolysaccharides. Such combined detections of biomineral assemblages and organics might serve as biomarkers for hyperthermophilic Fe(III) reduction. With lepidocrocite, P. delaneyi produced primarily a ferrous carbonate phase reminiscent of siderite, and with akaganeite, magnetite and a ferrous phosphate phase similar to vivianite were formed. P. islandicum showed minor biogenic production of a ferrous phosphate similar to vivianite when grown on lepidocrocite, and a mixed valent phosphate or sulfate mineral when grown on akaganeite. These results expand the range of biogenic mineral transformations at high temperatures and identify spacecraft-relevant spectroscopies suitable for discriminating mineral biogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Kashyap
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Peng Wang
- Bruker Optics, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - M. Darby Dyar
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Department of Astronomy, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James F. Holden
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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44
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Scheller EL, Razzell Hollis J, Cardarelli EL, Steele A, Beegle LW, Bhartia R, Conrad P, Uckert K, Sharma S, Ehlmann BL, Abbey WJ, Asher SA, Benison KC, Berger EL, Beyssac O, Bleefeld BL, Bosak T, Brown AJ, Burton AS, Bykov SV, Cloutis E, Fairén AG, DeFlores L, Farley KA, Fey DM, Fornaro T, Fox AC, Fries M, Hickman-Lewis K, Hug WF, Huggett JE, Imbeah S, Jakubek RS, Kah LC, Kelemen P, Kennedy MR, Kizovski T, Lee C, Liu Y, Mandon L, McCubbin FM, Moore KR, Nixon BE, Núñez JI, Rodriguez Sanchez-Vahamonde C, Roppel RD, Schulte M, Sephton MA, Sharma SK, Siljeström S, Shkolyar S, Shuster DL, Simon JI, Smith RJ, Stack KM, Steadman K, Weiss BP, Werynski A, Williams AJ, Wiens RC, Williford KH, Winchell K, Wogsland B, Yanchilina A, Yingling R, Zorzano MP. Aqueous alteration processes in Jezero crater, Mars-implications for organic geochemistry. Science 2022; 378:1105-1110. [PMID: 36417498 DOI: 10.1126/science.abo5204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The Perseverance rover landed in Jezero crater, Mars, in February 2021. We used the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC) instrument to perform deep-ultraviolet Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy of three rocks within the crater. We identify evidence for two distinct ancient aqueous environments at different times. Reactions with liquid water formed carbonates in an olivine-rich igneous rock. A sulfate-perchlorate mixture is present in the rocks, which probably formed by later modifications of the rocks by brine. Fluorescence signatures consistent with aromatic organic compounds occur throughout these rocks and are preserved in minerals related to both aqueous environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva L Scheller
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.,Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Razzell Hollis
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.,The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Emily L Cardarelli
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Steele
- Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Luther W Beegle
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Pamela Conrad
- Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kyle Uckert
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Sunanda Sharma
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Bethany L Ehlmann
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.,NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - William J Abbey
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Sanford A Asher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kathleen C Benison
- Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Eve L Berger
- Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA.,Jacobs Johnson Space Center Engineering, Technology and Science Contract, Houston, TX, USA.,NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Olivier Beyssac
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Tanja Bosak
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Sergei V Bykov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ed Cloutis
- Geography, The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Alberto G Fairén
- Centro de Astrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas-Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Lauren DeFlores
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Kenneth A Farley
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Teresa Fornaro
- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Marc Fries
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Keyron Hickman-Lewis
- Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK.,Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Linda C Kah
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Peter Kelemen
- Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY, USA
| | | | - Tanya Kizovski
- Department of Earth Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Carina Lee
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Lucia Mandon
- Laboratoire d'Etudes Spatiales et d'Instrumentation en Astrophysique, Observatoire de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Diderot, 92195 Meudon, France
| | | | - Kelsey R Moore
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | | | - Jorge I Núñez
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | | | - Ryan D Roppel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mitchell Schulte
- Mars Exploration Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mark A Sephton
- Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, UK
| | - Shiv K Sharma
- Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | | | - Svetlana Shkolyar
- Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.,NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - David L Shuster
- Earth and Planetary Science, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Rebecca J Smith
- Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Kathryn M Stack
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Kim Steadman
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin P Weiss
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Amy J Williams
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Roger C Wiens
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA.,Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Kenneth H Williford
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.,Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Brittan Wogsland
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | | | | | - Maria-Paz Zorzano
- Centro de Astrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas-Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial, Madrid, Spain
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45
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Milojevic T, Cramm MA, Hubert CRJ, Westall F. "Freezing" Thermophiles: From One Temperature Extreme to Another. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122417. [PMID: 36557670 PMCID: PMC9782878 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122417] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
New detections of thermophiles in psychrobiotic (i.e., bearing cold-tolerant life forms) marine and terrestrial habitats including Arctic marine sediments, Antarctic accretion ice, permafrost, and elsewhere are continually being reported. These microorganisms present great opportunities for microbial ecologists to examine biogeographical processes for spore-formers and non-spore-formers alike, including dispersal histories connecting warm and cold biospheres. In this review, we examine different examples of thermophiles in cryobiotic locations, and highlight exploration of thermophiles at cold temperatures under laboratory conditions. The survival of thermophiles in psychrobiotic environments provokes novel considerations of physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying natural cryopreservation of microorganisms. Cultures of thermophiles maintained at low temperature may serve as a non-sporulating laboratory model for further exploration of metabolic potential of thermophiles at psychrobiotic temperatures, as well as for elucidating molecular mechanisms behind natural preservation and adaptation to psychrobiotic environments. These investigations are highly relevant for the search for life on other cold and icy planets in the Solar System, such as Mars, Europa and Enceladus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetyana Milojevic
- Exobiology Group, CNRS-Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, University of Orléans, Rue Charles Sadron, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orléans, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-2-3825-5548
| | - Margaret Anne Cramm
- Geomicrobiology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Casey R. J. Hubert
- Geomicrobiology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Frances Westall
- Exobiology Group, CNRS-Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Rue Charles Sadron, CEDEX 2, 45071 Orléans, France
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46
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O'Brien ÁC, Hallis LJ, Regnault C, Morrison D, Blackburn G, Steele A, Daly L, Tait A, Tremblay MM, Telenko DE, Gunn J, McKay E, Mari N, Salik MA, Ascough P, Toney J, Griffin S, Whitfield P, Lee M. Using Organic Contaminants to Constrain the Terrestrial Journey of the Martian Meteorite Lafayette. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:1351-1362. [PMID: 36264546 PMCID: PMC9618387 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A key part of the search for extraterrestrial life is the detection of organic molecules since these molecules form the basis of all living things on Earth. Instrument suites such as SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) onboard the NASA Perseverance rover and the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer onboard the future ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover are designed to detect organic molecules at the martian surface. However, size, mass, and power limitations mean that these instrument suites cannot yet match the instrumental capabilities available in Earth-based laboratories. Until Mars Sample Return, the only martian samples available for study on Earth are martian meteorites. This is a collection of largely basaltic igneous rocks that have been exposed to varying degrees of terrestrial contamination. The low organic molecule abundance within igneous rocks and the expectation of terrestrial contamination make the identification of martian organics within these meteorites highly challenging. The Lafayette martian meteorite exhibits little evidence of terrestrial weathering, potentially making it a good candidate for the detection of martian organics despite uncertainties surrounding its fall history. In this study, we used ultrapure solvents to extract organic matter from triplicate samples of Lafayette and analyzed these extracts via hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS). Two hundred twenty-four metabolites (organic molecules) were detected in Lafayette at concentrations more than twice those present in the procedural blanks. In addition, a large number of plant-derived metabolites were putatively identified, the presence of which supports the unconfirmed report that Lafayette fell in a semirural location in Indiana. Remarkably, the putative identification of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (or vomitoxin), alongside the report that the collector was possibly a student at Purdue University, can be used to identify the most likely fall year as 1919.
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Affiliation(s)
- Áine Clare O'Brien
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, UK
- SUERC, University of Glasgow, East Kilbride, UK
| | - Lydia Jane Hallis
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, UK
| | - Clement Regnault
- Polyomics, University of Glasgow, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Switchback Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Gavin Blackburn
- Polyomics, University of Glasgow, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Switchback Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, UK
| | - Andrew Steele
- Carnegie Planets, Carnegie Science, Washington DC, USA
| | - Luke Daly
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, UK
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alastair Tait
- School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Monash University, Rainforest Walk Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marissa Marie Tremblay
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Darcy E.P. Telenko
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Jacqueline Gunn
- School of Professional Services, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Nicola Mari
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mohammad Ali Salik
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Jaime Toney
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sammy Griffin
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, UK
| | - Phil Whitfield
- Polyomics, University of Glasgow, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Switchback Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow, UK
| | - Martin Lee
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, UK
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47
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Osterhout JT, Schopf JW, Kudryavtsev AB, Czaja AD, Williford KH. Deep-UV Raman Spectroscopy of Carbonaceous Precambrian Microfossils: Insights into the Search for Past Life on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:1239-1254. [PMID: 36194869 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0135] [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: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The current strategy for detecting evidence of ancient life on Mars-a primary goal of NASA's ongoing Mars 2020 mission-is based largely on knowledge of Precambrian life and of its preservation in Earth's early rock record. The fossil record of primitive microorganisms consists mainly of stromatolites and other microbially influenced sedimentary structures, which occasionally preserve microfossils or other geochemical traces of life. Raman spectroscopy is an invaluable tool for identifying such signs of life and is routinely performed on Precambrian microfossils to help establish their organic composition, degree of thermal maturity, and biogenicity. The Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance, is equipped with a deep-ultraviolet (UV) Raman spectrometer as part of the SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) instrument, which will be used in part to characterize the preservation of organic matter in the ancient sedimentary rocks of Jezero crater and therein search for possible biosignatures. To determine the deep-UV Raman spectra characteristic of ancient microbial fossils, this study analyzes individual microfossils from 14 Precambrian cherts using deep-UV (244 nm) Raman spectroscopy. Spectra obtained were measured and calibrated relative to a graphitic standard and categorized according to the morphology and depositional environment of the fossil analyzed and its Raman-indicated thermal maturity. All acquired spectra of the fossil kerogens include a considerably Raman-enhanced and prominent first-order Raman G-band (∼1600 cm-1), whereas its commonly associated D-band (∼1350 cm-1) is restricted to specimens of lower thermal maturity (below greenschist facies) that thus have the less altered biosignature indicative of relatively well-preserved organic matter. If comparably preserved, similar characteristics would be expected to be exhibited by microfossils or ancient organic matter in rock samples collected and cached on Mars in preparation for future sample return to Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey T Osterhout
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - J William Schopf
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Anatoliy B Kudryavtsev
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrew D Czaja
- Department of Geology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kenneth H Williford
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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48
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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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49
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Hickman-Lewis K, Moore KR, Hollis JJR, Tuite ML, Beegle LW, Bhartia R, Grotzinger JP, Brown AJ, Shkolyar S, Cavalazzi B, Smith CL. In Situ Identification of Paleoarchean Biosignatures Using Colocated Perseverance Rover Analyses: Perspectives for In Situ Mars Science and Sample Return. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:1143-1163. [PMID: 35862422 PMCID: PMC9508457 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is currently exploring Jezero crater, a Noachian-Hesperian locality that once hosted a delta-lake system with high habitability and biosignature preservation potential. Perseverance conducts detailed appraisals of rock targets using a synergistic payload capable of geological characterization from kilometer to micron scales. The highest-resolution textural and chemical information will be provided by correlated WATSON (imaging), SHERLOC (deep-UV Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy), and PIXL (X-ray lithochemistry) analyses, enabling the distributions of organic and mineral phases within rock targets to be comprehensively established. Herein, we analyze Paleoarchean microbial mats from the ∼3.42 Ga Buck Reef Chert (Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa)-considered astrobiological analogues for a putative ancient martian biosphere-following a WATSON-SHERLOC-PIXL protocol identical to that conducted by Perseverance on Mars during all sampling activities. Correlating deep-UV Raman and fluorescence spectroscopic mapping with X-ray elemental mapping, we show that the Perseverance payload has the capability to detect thermally and texturally mature organic materials of biogenic origin and can highlight organic-mineral interrelationships and elemental colocation at fine spatial scales. We also show that the Perseverance protocol obtains very similar results to high-performance laboratory imaging, Raman spectroscopy, and μXRF instruments. This is encouraging for the prospect of detecting microscale organic-bearing textural biosignatures on Mars using the correlative micro-analytical approach enabled by WATSON, SHERLOC, and PIXL; indeed, laminated, organic-bearing samples such as those studied herein are considered plausible analogues of biosignatures from a potential Noachian-Hesperian biosphere. Were similar materials discovered at Jezero crater, they would offer opportunities to reconstruct aspects of the early martian carbon cycle and search for potential fossilized traces of life in ancient paleoenvironments. Such samples should be prioritized for caching and eventual return to Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyron Hickman-Lewis
- Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Kelsey R. Moore
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, USA
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - John P. Grotzinger
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | - Svetlana Shkolyar
- Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
- Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Barbara Cavalazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Caroline L. Smith
- Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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50
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Pavlov AA, McLain HL, Glavin DP, Roussel A, Dwork In JP, Elsila JE, Yocum KM. Rapid Radiolytic Degradation of Amino Acids in the Martian Shallow Subsurface: Implications for the Search for Extinct Life. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:1099-1115. [PMID: 35749703 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0166] [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
Amino acids are fundamental to life as we know them as the monomers of proteins and enzymes. They are also readily synthesized under a variety of plausible prebiotic conditions and are common in carbon-rich meteorites. Thus, they represent a reasonable class of organics to target in the search for prebiotic chemistry or chemical evidence of life on Mars. However, regardless of their origin, amino acids and other organic molecules present in near-surface regolith and rocks on Mars can be degraded by exposure to cosmic rays that can penetrate to a depth of a few meters. We exposed several pure amino acids in dry and hydrated silicate mixtures and in mixtures of silicates with perchlorate salts to gamma radiation at various temperatures and radiation doses representative of the martian near-subsurface. We found that irradiation of amino acids mixed with dry silica powder increased the rate of amino acid radiolysis, with the radiolysis constants of amino acids in silicate mixtures at least a factor of 10 larger compared with the radiolysis constants of amino acids alone. The addition of perchlorate salts to the silicate samples or hydration of silicate samples further accelerated the rate of amino acid destruction during irradiation and increased the radiolysis constants by a factor of ∼1.5. Our results suggest that even low-molecular-weight amino acids could degrade in just ∼20 million years in the top 10 cm of the martian surface regolith and rock, and even faster if the material contains elevated abundances of hydrated silicate minerals or perchlorates. We did not detect evidence of amino acid racemization after gamma radiation exposure of the samples, which indicates that the chirality of some surviving amino acids may still be preserved. Our experimental results suggest serious challenges for the search of ancient amino acids and other potential organic biosignatures in the top 2 m of the martian surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Pavlov
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Hannah L McLain
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel P Glavin
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Anaïs Roussel
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Jason P Dwork In
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Jamie E Elsila
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Katarina M Yocum
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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