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Sutton MA, Burton AS, Zaikova E, Sutton RE, Brinckerhoff WB, Bevilacqua JG, Weng MM, Mumma MJ, Johnson SS. Radiation Tolerance of Nanopore Sequencing Technology for Life Detection on Mars and Europa. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5370. [PMID: 30926841 PMCID: PMC6441015 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41488-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The search for life beyond Earth is a key motivator in space exploration. Informational polymers, like DNA and RNA, are key biosignatures for life as we know it. The MinION is a miniature DNA sequencer based on versatile nanopore technology that could be implemented on future planetary missions. A critical unanswered question is whether the MinION and its protein-based nanopores can withstand increased radiation exposure outside Earth's shielding magnetic field. We evaluated the effects of ionizing radiation on the MinION platform - including flow cells, reagents, and hardware - and discovered limited performance loss when exposed to ionizing doses comparable to a mission to Mars. Targets with harsher radiation environments, like Europa, would require improved radiation resistance via additional shielding or design refinements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Sutton
- Solar System Exploration Division and Goddard Center for Astrobiology, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA
- Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, 67260, USA
| | - Aaron S Burton
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, 77058, USA
| | - Elena Zaikova
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | | | - William B Brinckerhoff
- Solar System Exploration Division and Goddard Center for Astrobiology, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA
| | - Julie G Bevilacqua
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Margaret M Weng
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Michael J Mumma
- Solar System Exploration Division and Goddard Center for Astrobiology, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA
| | - Sarah Stewart Johnson
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.
- Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.
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Zaikova E, Goerlitz DS, Tighe SW, Wagner NY, Bai Y, Hall BL, Bevilacqua JG, Weng MM, Samuels-Fair MD, Johnson SS. Antarctic Relic Microbial Mat Community Revealed by Metagenomics and Metatranscriptomics. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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