Antarctic Bacteria as Astrobiological Models

Abbott, Carmel; Pearce, David A.

doi:10.1002/9781119593096.ch6

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…On the other hand, the presence of perchlorates could possibly be overcome by extremophiles or extremotolerant organisms, as they possess unique biological features responsible for surviving under particular stressors, often acting at levels surpassing those observed naturally on Earth [ 14 ]. However, some soil bacteria and cyanobacteria have been demonstrated to maintain growth under increased perchlorate exposure due to their enzymatic reduction (e.g., Azospirillum spp., Dechloromonas spp., and Dechlorosoma spp.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-Term Survivability of Tardigrade Paramacrobiotus experimentalis (Eutardigrada) at Increased Magnesium Perchlorate Levels: Implications for Astrobiological Research

Wilanowska,

Rzymski,

Kaczmarek

2024

Life

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Perchlorate salts, including magnesium perchlorate, are highly toxic compounds that occur on Mars at levels far surpassing those on Earth and pose a significant challenge to the survival of life on this planet. Tardigrades are commonly known for their extraordinary resistance to extreme environmental conditions and are considered model organisms for space and astrobiological research. However, their long-term tolerance to perchlorate salts has not been the subject of any previous studies. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess whether the tardigrade species Paramacrobiotus experimentalis can survive and grow in an environment contaminated with high levels of magnesium perchlorates (0.25–1.0%, 1.5–6.0 mM ClO4− ions). The survival rate of tardigrades decreased with an increase in the concentration of the perchlorate solutions and varied from 83.3% (0.10% concentration) to 20.8% (0.25% concentration) over the course of 56 days of exposure. Tardigrades exposed to 0.15–0.25% magnesium perchlorate revealed significantly decreased body length. Our study indicates that tardigrades can survive and grow in relatively high concentrations of magnesium perchlorates, largely exceeding perchlorate levels observed naturally on Earth, indicating their potential use in Martian experiments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-Term Survivability of Tardigrade Paramacrobiotus experimentalis (Eutardigrada) at Increased Magnesium Perchlorate Levels: Implications for Astrobiological Research

Wilanowska,

Rzymski,

Kaczmarek

2024

Life

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“…Microorganisms isolated from these extreme habitats considered analogous to extraterrestrial environments are highly adapted and are good candidates for astrobiological studies [e.g., astrobiological models, adaptation mechanisms, strategies underlying survival in extreme conditions, and potential (novel) biosignatures that can be used in habitable zones beyond Earth; Lopez et al, 2019;Jebbar et al, 2020], yielding potential clues as to whether (and how) life may exist and persist on other planetary bodies (Lopez et al, 2019;Coleine and Delgado-Baquerizo, 2022), and even provide tools to guide future colonization, if this is desired (Lopez et al, 2019). So far, prokaryotes are the most-studied models for astrobiology (Seyler et al, 2020;Abbott and Pearce, 2021), including members of the (i) halophilic archaea (class Haloarchaea), which are typically used for Mars studies, due to their ability to withstand salinity and perchlorates, anaerobic conditions, high levels of UV and ionizing radiation, subzero temperatures, desiccation, and toxic ions (Stan-Lotter and Fendrihan, 2015;DasSarma and DasSarma, 2017); (ii) Deinococcus radiodurans, a bacterium that is widely known for its high resistance to radiation (up to 10,000 Gy; Daly, 2011) and its importance in the context of planetary protection and panspermia (Kawaguchi et al, 2013); and (iii) representatives of the genus Bacillus, which have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to survive in many extreme conditions encountered in outer space. These members include (i) Bacillus subtilis, which is known to survive in conditions similar to those on Mars (extreme dryness, high radiation levels, and high concentrations of perchlorate salts) (Nicholson et al, 2000), and (ii) Bacillus pumilus, a model organism that is currently used to assess the habitability of Europa (icy moon of Jupiter) based on its capability to survive in extreme temperatures, low nutrient availability, dryness, and UV-C radiation (Stepanov et al, 2016).…”

Section: Extremophiles On Earth and Beyond: Implications In Astrobiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Shedding light on the composition of extreme microbial dark matter: alternative approaches for culturing extremophiles

et al. 2023

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More than 20,000 species of prokaryotes (less than 1% of the estimated number of Earth’s microbial species) have been described thus far. However, the vast majority of microbes that inhabit extreme environments remain uncultured and this group is termed “microbial dark matter.” Little is known regarding the ecological functions and biotechnological potential of these underexplored extremophiles, thus representing a vast untapped and uncharacterized biological resource. Advances in microbial cultivation approaches are key for a detailed and comprehensive characterization of the roles of these microbes in shaping the environment and, ultimately, for their biotechnological exploitation, such as for extremophile-derived bioproducts (extremozymes, secondary metabolites, CRISPR Cas systems, and pigments, among others), astrobiology, and space exploration. Additional efforts to enhance culturable diversity are required due to the challenges imposed by extreme culturing and plating conditions. In this review, we summarize methods and technologies used to recover the microbial diversity of extreme environments, while discussing the advantages and disadvantages associated with each of these approaches. Additionally, this review describes alternative culturing strategies to retrieve novel taxa with their unknown genes, metabolisms, and ecological roles, with the ultimate goal of increasing the yields of more efficient bio-based products. This review thus summarizes the strategies used to unveil the hidden diversity of the microbiome of extreme environments and discusses the directions for future studies of microbial dark matter and its potential applications in biotechnology and astrobiology.

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Electrotrophic perchlorate reduction by a psychrotolerant acidophile isolated from an acid rock drainage in Antarctica

Torres-Rojas

Hernández

Vargas

et al. 2023

Bioelectrochemistry

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Antarctic Bacteria as Astrobiological Models

Cited by 4 publications

References 80 publications

Long-Term Survivability of Tardigrade Paramacrobiotus experimentalis (Eutardigrada) at Increased Magnesium Perchlorate Levels: Implications for Astrobiological Research

Long-Term Survivability of Tardigrade Paramacrobiotus experimentalis (Eutardigrada) at Increased Magnesium Perchlorate Levels: Implications for Astrobiological Research

Shedding light on the composition of extreme microbial dark matter: alternative approaches for culturing extremophiles

Electrotrophic perchlorate reduction by a psychrotolerant acidophile isolated from an acid rock drainage in Antarctica

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