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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Li Y, Rochfort KD, Collins D, Grintzalis K. Development of Sensitive Methods for the Detection of Minimum Concentrations of DNA on Martian Soil Simulants. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1999. [PMID: 37895382 PMCID: PMC10608431 DOI: 10.3390/life13101999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Several methods used for the quantification of DNA are based on UV absorbance or the fluorescence of complexes with intercalator dyes. Most of these intercalators are used in gels to visualize DNA and its structural integrity. Due to many extraterrestrial samples, such as meteorites or comets, which are likely to contain very small amounts of biological material, and because the ability to detect this material is crucial for understanding the origin and evolution of life in the universe, the development of assays that can detect DNA at low limits and withstand the rigors of space exploration is a pressing need in the field of astrobiology. In this study, we present a comparison of optimized protocols used for the fast and accurate quantification of DNA using common intercalator dyes. The sensitivity of assays exceeded that generated by any commercial kit and allowed for the accurate quantification of minimum concentrations of DNA. The methods were successful when applied to the detection and measurement of DNA spiked on soil samples. Furthermore, the impact of UV radiation as a harsh condition on the surface of Mars was assessed by DNA degradation and this was also confirmed by gel electrophoresis. Overall, the methods described provide economical, simple-step, and efficient approaches for the detection of DNA and can be used in future planetary exploration missions as tests used for the extraction of nucleic acid biosignatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongda Li
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, D09 Y5NO Dublin, Ireland; (Y.L.); (D.C.)
| | - Keith D. Rochfort
- School of Nursing, Psychotherapy, and Community Health, Dublin City University, D09 Y5NO Dublin, Ireland;
| | - David Collins
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, D09 Y5NO Dublin, Ireland; (Y.L.); (D.C.)
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3
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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4
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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. J Geophys Res 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Kok MGM, Mora MF, Noell AC, Parker CW, Willis PA. A Novel and Sensitive Method for the Analysis of Fatty Acid Biosignatures by Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2022; 94:12807-12814. [PMID: 36066097 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Fatty acids are a well-established class of compounds targeted as biosignatures for future missions to look for evidence of life on ocean worlds such as Europa and Enceladus. In order to establish their abiotic or biotic origin, we need to separate and quantify fatty acids to determine their relative abundances within a sample. In this study, we demonstrate the high potential of capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS) for the efficient separation and sensitive detection of a wide variety of fatty acids. Three derivatization strategies were evaluated to allow the detection of fatty acids by positive ionization mode MS. Furthermore, CE-MS conditions were optimized to provide maximum separation efficiencies and detection sensitivities for the analysis of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids with even- and odd-numbered carbon chain lengths. Optimum separation and detection were obtained using a background electrolyte of 2 M acetic acid in 45% acetonitrile, after derivatization of the fatty acids with 2-picolylamine or N,N-diethylethylenediamine. The limits of detection for the derivatized fatty acids using the optimized method ranged from 25 to 250 nM. The optimized method was also used for the analysis of fatty acids in cell cultures and natural samples. Two distinctive biosignatures were obtained for the microorganisms Halobacillus halophilus and Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis. In addition, multiple fatty acids were detected in a natural sample from Mono Lake, California.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda G M Kok
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Maria F Mora
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Aaron C Noell
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Ceth W Parker
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Peter A Willis
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
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6
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Mora MF, Kok MGM, Noell A, Willis PA. Detection of Biosignatures by Capillary Electrophoresis Mass Spectrometry in the Presence of Salts Relevant to Ocean Worlds Missions. Astrobiology 2022; 22:914-925. [PMID: 35913998 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a promising liquid-based technique for in situ chemical analysis on ocean worlds that allows the detection of a wide range of organic molecules relevant to the search for life. CE coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) is particularly valuable as it also enables the discovery of unknown compounds. Here we demonstrate that CE coupled to MS via electrospray ionization (ESI) can readily analyze samples containing up to half the saturation levels of salts relevant to ocean worlds when using 5 M acetic acid as the separation media. A mixture containing amino acids, peptides, nucleobases, and nucleosides was analyzed in the presence of two salts, NaCl and MgSO4, based on their relevance to Europa and Enceladus. We demonstrate here CE-MS limits of detection for these organics ranging from 0.05 to 1 μM (8 to 89 ppb) in the absence of salts. More importantly, we demonstrate here for the first time that organics in the low micromolar range (1-50 μM) are detected by CE-MS in the presence of 3 M NaCl without desalting, preconcentration, or derivatization. This demonstration highlights how CE-MS is uniquely suited for organic analysis on future missions to ocean worlds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F Mora
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Miranda G M Kok
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Aaron Noell
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Peter A Willis
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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7
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Grimm R. How Modern Mass Spectrometry Can Solve Ancient Questions: A Multi-Omics Study of the Stomach Content of the Oldest Human Ice Mummy, the 5300-Year-Old Iceman or Oetzi. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2261:1-12. [PMID: 33420980 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1186-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In the past 40 years, mass spectrometry has seen a stunning development regarding increased sensitivity, resolution, and accuracy, especially for biomolecule analysis. These days without any doubt mass spectrometry is the most powerful analytical tool as a standalone technique or in conjunction with separation techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), or capillary electrophoresis (CE). It is literally used to analyze any kind of small or large molecules ranging from basic elements to metabolites, pesticides, toxins, small or large molecule drugs, oligonucleotides, peptides, proteins, and many other molecule classes.Here, various modern mass spectrometry techniques such as LC-MS , GC-MS, ICP-MS, and elemental bio-imaging are briefly described how they were used for the first complex multi-omics study of the oldest human ice mummy, the 5300-year-old Iceman or Oetzi. The study comprised of mass spectrometry-driven proteomics (protein profiling and characterization), metabolomics, lipidomics, glycomics, and metallomics.
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He Y, Buch A, Szopa C, Williams AJ, Millan M, Malespin CA, Glavin DP, Freissinet C, Eigenbrode JL, Teinturier S, Coscia D, Bonnet JY, Stern JC, Stalport F, Guzman M, Chaouche-Mechidal N, Lu P, Navarro-Gonzalez R, Butin V, El Bekri J, Cottin H, Johnson S, Cabane M, Mahaffy PR. Influence of Calcium Perchlorate on the Search for Organics on Mars with Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide Thermochemolysis. Astrobiology 2021; 21:279-297. [PMID: 33306917 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments onboard the Exomars 2022 and Mars Science Laboratory rovers, respectively, are capable of organic matter detection and differentiating potentially biogenic from abiotic organics in martian samples. To identify organics, both these instruments utilize pyrolysis-gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, and the thermochemolysis agent tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) is also used to increase organic volatility. However, the reactivity and efficiency of TMAH thermochemolysis are affected by the presence of calcium perchlorate on the martian surface. In this study, we determined the products of TMAH pyrolysis in the presence and absence of calcium perchlorate at different heating rates (flash pyrolysis and SAM-like ramp pyrolysis with a 35°C·min-1 heating rate). The decomposition mechanism of TMAH pyrolysis in the presence of calcium perchlorate was studied by using stepped pyrolysis. Moreover, the effect of calcium perchlorate (at Mars-relevant concentrations) on the recovery rate of fatty acids with TMAH thermochemolysis was studied. Results demonstrate that flash pyrolysis yields more diversity and greater abundances of TMAH thermochemolysis products than does the SAM-like ramp pyrolysis method. There is no obvious effect of calcium perchlorate on TMAH degradation when the [ClO4-] is lower than 10 weight percent (wt %). Most importantly, the presence of calcium perchlorate does not significantly impact the recovery rate of fatty acids with TMAH thermochemolysis under laboratory conditions, which is promising for the detection of fatty acids via TMAH thermochemolysis with the SAM and MOMA instruments on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan He
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux (LGPM), CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Arnaud Buch
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux (LGPM), CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Cyril Szopa
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - Amy J Williams
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Maëva Millan
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Charles A Malespin
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel P Glavin
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Caroline Freissinet
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - Jennifer L Eigenbrode
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Samuel Teinturier
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - David Coscia
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - Jean-Yves Bonnet
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
- Telespazio France, Toulouse, France
| | - Jennifer C Stern
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Fabien Stalport
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université de Paris, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Créteil, France
| | - Melissa Guzman
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - Naila Chaouche-Mechidal
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université de Paris, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Créteil, France
| | - Pin Lu
- LGPM, CentraleSupélec, SFR Condorcet FR CNRS 3417, Centre Européen de Biotechnologie et de Bioéconomie (CEBB), Université Paris-Saclay, Pomacle, France
| | - Rafael Navarro-Gonzalez
- Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Vincent Butin
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux (LGPM), CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jamila El Bekri
- Laboratoire Génie des Procédés et Matériaux (LGPM), CentraleSupélec, University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Hervé Cottin
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), UMR CNRS 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université de Paris, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Créteil, France
| | - Sarah Johnson
- Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Michel Cabane
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - Paul R Mahaffy
- Space Science Exploration Division (Code 690), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
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9
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Tan JS, Royle SH, Sephton MA. Artificial Maturation of Iron- and Sulfur-Rich Mars Analogues: Implications for the Diagenetic Stability of Biopolymers and Their Detection with Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Astrobiology 2021; 21:199-218. [PMID: 33226839 PMCID: PMC7876361 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Acidic iron- and sulfur-rich streams are appropriate analogues for the late Noachian and early Hesperian periods of martian history, when Mars exhibited extensive habitable environments. Any past life on Mars may have left behind diagnostic evidence of life that could be detected at the present day. For effective preservation, these remains must have avoided the harsh radiation flux at the martian surface, survived geological storage for billions of years, and remained detectable within their geochemical environment by analytical instrument suites used on Mars today, such as thermal extraction techniques. We investigated the detectability of organic matter within sulfur stream sediments that had been subjected to artificial maturation by hydrous pyrolysis. After maturation, the samples were analyzed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (py-GC-MS) to determine whether organic matter could be detected with this commonly used technique. We find that macromolecular organic matter can survive the artificial maturation process in the presence of iron- and sulfur-rich minerals but cannot be unambiguously distinguished from abiotic organic matter. However, if jarosite and goethite are present in the sulfur stream environment, they interfere with the py-GC-MS detection of organic compounds in these samples. Clay reduces the obfuscating effect of the oxidizing minerals by providing nondeleterious adsorption sites. We also find that after a simple alkali and acid leaching process that removes oxidizing minerals such as iron sulfates, oxides, and oxyhydroxides, the sulfur stream samples exhibit much greater organic responses during py-GC-MS in terms of both abundance and diversity of organic compounds, such as the detection of hopanes in all leached samples. Our results suggest that insoluble organic matter can be preserved over billions of years of geological storage while still retaining diagnostic organic information, but sample selection strategies must either avoid jarosite- and goethite-rich outcrops or conduct preparative chemistry steps to remove these oxidants prior to analysis by thermal extraction techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S.W. Tan
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Samuel H. Royle
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mark A. Sephton
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
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10
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Williams AJ, Craft KL, Millan M, Johnson SS, Knudson CA, Juarez Rivera M, McAdam AC, Tobler D, Skok JR. Fatty Acid Preservation in Modern and Relict Hot-Spring Deposits in Iceland, with Implications for Organics Detection on Mars. Astrobiology 2021; 21:60-82. [PMID: 33121252 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Hydrothermal spring deposits host unique microbial ecosystems and have the capacity to preserve microbial communities as biosignatures within siliceous sinter layers. This quality makes terrestrial hot springs appealing natural laboratories to study the preservation of both organic and morphologic biosignatures. The discovery of hydrothermal deposits on Mars has called attention to these hot springs as Mars-analog environments, driving forward the study of biosignature preservation in these settings to help prepare future missions targeting the recovery of biosignatures from martian hot-spring deposits. This study quantifies the fatty acid load in three Icelandic hot-spring deposits ranging from modern and inactive to relict. Samples were collected from both the surface and 2-18 cm in depth to approximate the drilling capabilities of current and upcoming Mars rovers. To determine the preservation potential of organics in siliceous sinter deposits, fatty acid analyses were performed with pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) utilizing thermochemolysis with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). This technique is available on both current and upcoming Mars rovers. Results reveal that fatty acids are often degraded in the subsurface relative to surface samples but are preserved and detectable with the TMAH pyrolysis-GC-MS method. Hot-spring mid-to-distal aprons are often the best texturally and geomorphically definable feature in older, degraded terrestrial sinter systems and are therefore most readily detectable on Mars from orbital images. These findings have implications for the detection of organics in martian hydrothermal systems as they suggest that organics might be detectable on Mars in relatively recent hot-spring deposits, but preservation likely deteriorates over geological timescales. Rovers with thermochemolysis pyrolysis-GC-MS instrumentation may be able to detect fatty acids in hot-spring deposits if the organics are relatively young; therefore, martian landing site and sample selection are of paramount importance in the search for organics on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J Williams
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Planetary Environments Laboratory (Code 699), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Kathleen L Craft
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Maëva Millan
- Planetary Environments Laboratory (Code 699), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Sarah Stewart Johnson
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Christine A Knudson
- Planetary Environments Laboratory (Code 699), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- CRESST Center for Research Exploration in Space Science and Technology at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Marisol Juarez Rivera
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Amy C McAdam
- Planetary Environments Laboratory (Code 699), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Dominique Tobler
- Department of Chemistry, Nano-Science Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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11
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Azua-Bustos A, Fairén AG, Silva CG, Carrizo D, Fernández-Martínez MÁ, Arenas-Fajardo C, Fernández-Sampedro M, Gil-Lozano C, Sánchez-García L, Ascaso C, Wierzchos J, Rampe EB. Inhabited subsurface wet smectites in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert as an analog for the search for life on Mars. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19183. [PMID: 33154541 PMCID: PMC7645800 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76302-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The modern Martian surface is unlikely to be habitable due to its extreme aridity among other environmental factors. This is the reason why the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert has been studied as an analog for the habitability of Mars for more than 50 years. Here we report a layer enriched in smectites located just 30 cm below the surface of the hyperarid core of the Atacama. We discovered the clay-rich layer to be wet (a phenomenon never observed before in this region), keeping a high and constant relative humidity of 78% (aw 0.780), and completely isolated from the changing and extremely dry subaerial conditions characteristic of the Atacama. The smectite-rich layer is inhabited by at least 30 halophilic species of metabolically active bacteria and archaea, unveiling a previously unreported habitat for microbial life under the surface of the driest place on Earth. The discovery of a diverse microbial community in smectite-rich subsurface layers in the hyperarid core of the Atacama, and the collection of biosignatures we have identified within the clays, suggest that similar shallow clay deposits on Mars may contain biosignatures easily reachable by current rovers and landers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (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 (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | | | - Daniel Carrizo
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Carolina Gil-Lozano
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
- Laboratory of Planetology and Geodynamics, Université de Nantes, 44322, Nantes, France
| | | | - Carmen Ascaso
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jacek Wierzchos
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elizabeth B Rampe
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
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12
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He Y, Buch A, Szopa C, Williams AJ, Millan M, Guzman M, Freissinet C, Malespin C, Glavin DP, Eigenbrode JL, Coscia D, Teinturier S, Pin lu, Cabane M, Mahaffy PR. The search for organic compounds with TMAH thermochemolysis: From Earth analyses to space exploration experiments. Trends Analyt Chem 2020; 127:115896. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2020.115896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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13
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Johnson SS, Millan M, Graham H, Benison KC, Williams AJ, McAdam A, Knudson CA, Andrejkovičová S, Achilles C. Lipid Biomarkers in Ephemeral Acid Salt Lake Mudflat/Sandflat Sediments: Implications for Mars. Astrobiology 2020; 20:167-178. [PMID: 32022603 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sedimentary strata on Mars often contain a mix of sulfates, iron oxides, chlorides, and phyllosilicates, a mineral assemblage that is unique on Earth to acid brine environments. To help characterize the astrobiological potential of depositional environments with similar minerals present, samples from four naturally occurring acidic salt lakes and adjacent mudflats/sandflats in the vicinity of Norseman, Western Australia, were collected and analyzed. Lipid biomarkers were extracted and quantified, revealing biomarkers from vascular plants alongside trace microbial lipids. The resilience of lipids from dead organic material in these acid saline sediments through the pervasive stages of early diagenesis lends support to the idea that sulfates, in tandem with phyllosilicates and iron oxides, could be a viable target for biomarkers on Mars. To fully understand the astrobiological potential of these depositional environments, additional investigations of organic preservation in ancient acidic saline sedimentary environments are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Stewart Johnson
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
- Program on Science, Technology, and International Affairs, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Maëva Millan
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
| | | | - Kathleen C Benison
- Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Amy J Williams
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Amy McAdam
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
| | - Christine A Knudson
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Sciences and Technology/University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland
| | - Slavka Andrejkovičová
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Sciences and Technology/University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland
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14
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Glavin DP, Burton AS, Elsila JE, Aponte JC, Dworkin JP. The Search for Chiral Asymmetry as a Potential Biosignature in our Solar System. Chem Rev 2019; 120:4660-4689. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P. Glavin
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, United States
| | - Aaron S. Burton
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058, United States
| | - Jamie E. Elsila
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, United States
| | - José C. Aponte
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, United States
- Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 20064, United States
| | - Jason P. Dworkin
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, United States
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