Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World Plumes
With the discovery of the persistent jets of water being ejected to space from Enceladus, an understanding of the effect of the space environment on potential organisms and biosignatures in them is necessary for planning life detection missions. We experimentally determine the survivability of micro...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-04-01
|
| Series: | Life |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/4/40 |
| _version_ | 1797570474069196800 |
|---|---|
| author | Kathryn Bywaters Carol R. Stoker Nelio Batista Do Nascimento Lawrence Lemke |
| author_facet | Kathryn Bywaters Carol R. Stoker Nelio Batista Do Nascimento Lawrence Lemke |
| author_sort | Kathryn Bywaters |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the discovery of the persistent jets of water being ejected to space from Enceladus, an understanding of the effect of the space environment on potential organisms and biosignatures in them is necessary for planning life detection missions. We experimentally determine the survivability of microbial cells in liquid medium when ejected into vacuum. Epifluorescence microscopy, using a lipid stain, and SEM imaging were used to interrogate the cellular integrity of <i>E. coli</i> after ejected through a pressurized nozzle into a vacuum chamber. The experimental samples showed a 94% decrease in visible intact <i>E. coli</i> cells but showed a fluorescence residue in the shape of the sublimated droplets that indicated the presence of lipids. The differences in the experimental conditions versus those expected on Enceladus should not change the analog value because the process a sample would undergo when ejected into space was representative. <i>E. coli</i> was selected for testing although other cell types could vary physiologically which would affect their response to a vacuum environment. More testing is needed to determine the dynamic range in concentration of cells expected to survive the plume environment. However, these results suggest that lipids may be directly detectable evidence of life in icy world plumes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:26:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5e82b792c9c7402b863fe1a8cf4d99f5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:26:05Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-5e82b792c9c7402b863fe1a8cf4d99f52023-11-19T21:46:31ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292020-04-011044010.3390/life10040040Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World PlumesKathryn Bywaters0Carol R. Stoker1Nelio Batista Do Nascimento2Lawrence Lemke3SETI Institute, Moffett Field, CA 94043, USANASA Ames Research Center, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USANASA Ames Research Center, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USANASA Ames Research Center, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USAWith the discovery of the persistent jets of water being ejected to space from Enceladus, an understanding of the effect of the space environment on potential organisms and biosignatures in them is necessary for planning life detection missions. We experimentally determine the survivability of microbial cells in liquid medium when ejected into vacuum. Epifluorescence microscopy, using a lipid stain, and SEM imaging were used to interrogate the cellular integrity of <i>E. coli</i> after ejected through a pressurized nozzle into a vacuum chamber. The experimental samples showed a 94% decrease in visible intact <i>E. coli</i> cells but showed a fluorescence residue in the shape of the sublimated droplets that indicated the presence of lipids. The differences in the experimental conditions versus those expected on Enceladus should not change the analog value because the process a sample would undergo when ejected into space was representative. <i>E. coli</i> was selected for testing although other cell types could vary physiologically which would affect their response to a vacuum environment. More testing is needed to determine the dynamic range in concentration of cells expected to survive the plume environment. However, these results suggest that lipids may be directly detectable evidence of life in icy world plumes.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/4/40icy worldplumelife detectionmicrobeslipidsEuropa |
| spellingShingle | Kathryn Bywaters Carol R. Stoker Nelio Batista Do Nascimento Lawrence Lemke Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World Plumes Life icy world plume life detection microbes lipids Europa |
| title | Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World Plumes |
| title_full | Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World Plumes |
| title_fullStr | Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World Plumes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World Plumes |
| title_short | Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World Plumes |
| title_sort | towards determining biosignature retention in icy world plumes |
| topic | icy world plume life detection microbes lipids Europa |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/4/40 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathrynbywaters towardsdeterminingbiosignatureretentioninicyworldplumes AT carolrstoker towardsdeterminingbiosignatureretentioninicyworldplumes AT neliobatistadonascimento towardsdeterminingbiosignatureretentioninicyworldplumes AT lawrencelemke towardsdeterminingbiosignatureretentioninicyworldplumes |