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Fagliarone C, Fernandez BG, Di Stefano G, Mosca C, Billi D. Insights into the chaotropic tolerance of the desert cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis sp. 029 (Chroococcidiopsales, Cyanobacteria). JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2024; 60:185-194. [PMID: 38156502 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism of perchlorate resistance of the desert cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis sp. CCMEE 029 was investigated by assessing whether the pathways associated with its desiccation tolerance might play a role against the destabilizing effects of this chaotropic agent. During 3 weeks of growth in the presence of 2.4 mM perchlorate, an upregulation of trehalose and sucrose biosynthetic pathways was detected. This suggested that in response to the water stress triggered by perchlorate salts, these two compatible solutes play a role in the stabilization of macromolecules and membranes as they do in response to dehydration. During the perchlorate exposure, the production of oxidizing species was observed by using an oxidant-sensing fluorochrome and determining the expression of the antioxidant defense genes, namely superoxide dismutases and catalases, while the presence of oxidative DNA damage was highlighted by the over-expression of genes of the base excision repair. The involvement of desiccation-tolerance mechanisms in the perchlorate resistance of this desert cyanobacterium is interesting since, so far, chaotropic-tolerant bacteria have been identified among halophiles. Hence, it is anticipated that desert microorganisms might possess an unrevealed capability of adapting to perchlorate concentrations exceeding those naturally occurring in dry environments. Furthermore, in the endeavor of supporting future human outposts on Mars, the identified mechanisms might contribute to enhance the perchlorate resistance of microorganisms relevant for biologically driven utilization of the perchlorate-rich soil of the red planet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beatriz Gallego Fernandez
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- PhD Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgia Di Stefano
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- PhD Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Mosca
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Billi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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2
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Cassaro A, Pacelli C, Onofri S. Survival, metabolic activity, and ultrastructural damages of Antarctic black fungus in perchlorates media. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:992077. [PMID: 36523839 PMCID: PMC9744811 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.992077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence from recent Mars landers identified the presence of perchlorates salts at 1 wt % in regolith and their widespread distribution on the Martian surface that has been hypothesized as a critical chemical hazard for putative life forms. However, the hypersaline environment may also potentially preserve life and its biomolecules over geological timescales. The high concentration of natural perchlorates is scarcely reported on Earth. The presence of perchlorates in soil and ice has been recorded in some extreme environments including the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica, one of the best terrestrial analogues for Mars. In the frame of "Life in space" Italian astrobiology project, the polyextremophilic black fungus Cryomyces antarcticus, a eukaryotic test organism isolated from the Antarctic cryptoendolithic communities, has been tested for its resistance, when grown on different hypersaline substrata. In addition, C. antarcticus was grown on Martian relevant perchlorate medium (0.4 wt% of Mg(ClO4)2 and 0.6 wt% of Ca(ClO4)2) to investigate the possibility for the fungus to survive in Martian environment. Here, the results indicate a good survivability and metabolic activity recovery of the black fungus when grown on four Martian relevant perchlorates. A low percentage of damaged cellular membranes have been found, confirming the ultrastructural investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Cassaro
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Claudia Pacelli
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, Viterbo, Italy
- Human Spaceflight and Scientific Research Unit, Italian Space Agency, via del Politecnico, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvano Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell’Università snc, Viterbo, Italy
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3
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Heinz J, Doellinger J, Maus D, Schneider A, Lasch P, Grossart HP, Schulze-Makuch D. Perchlorate-Specific Proteomic Stress Responses of Debaryomyces hansenii Could Enable Microbial Survival in Martian Brines. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5051-5065. [PMID: 35920032 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
If life exists on Mars, it would face several challenges including the presence of perchlorates, which destabilize biomacromolecules by inducing chaotropic stress. However, little is known about perchlorate toxicity for microorganism on the cellular level. Here we present the first proteomic investigation on the perchlorate-specific stress responses of the halotolerant yeast Debaryomyces hansenii and compare these to generally known salt stress adaptations. We found that the responses to NaCl and NaClO4 -induced stresses share many common metabolic features, e.g., signaling pathways, elevated energy metabolism, or osmolyte biosynthesis. Nevertheless, several new perchlorate-specific stress responses could be identified, such as protein glycosylation and cell wall remodulations, presumably in order to stabilize protein structures and the cell envelope. These stress responses would also be relevant for life on Mars, which - given the environmental conditions - likely developed chaotropic defense strategies such as stabilized confirmations of biomacromolecules and the formation of cell clusters. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Heinz
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, RG Astrobiology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joerg Doellinger
- Robert Koch-Institute, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Proteomics and Spectroscopy (ZBS6), Berlin, Germany
| | - Deborah Maus
- Robert Koch-Institute, Metabolism of Microbial Pathogens (NG2), Berlin, Germany
| | - Andy Schneider
- Robert Koch-Institute, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Proteomics and Spectroscopy (ZBS6), Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Lasch
- Robert Koch-Institute, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Proteomics and Spectroscopy (ZBS6), Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Grossart
- Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 16775 Stechlin, Germany.,Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, RG Astrobiology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), 16775 Stechlin, Germany.,GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences, Section Geomicrobiology, Potsdam, Germany.,School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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4
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Rzymski P, Poniedziałek B, Hippmann N, Kaczmarek Ł. Screening the Survival of Cyanobacteria Under Perchlorate Stress. Potential Implications for Mars In Situ Resource Utilization. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:672-684. [PMID: 35196144 PMCID: PMC9233533 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are good candidates for various martian applications as a potential source of food, fertilizer, oxygen, and biofuels. However, the increased levels of highly toxic perchlorates may be a significant obstacle to their growth on Mars. Therefore, in the present study, 17 cyanobacteria strains that belong to Chroococcales, Chroococcidiopsidales, Nostocales, Oscillatoriales, Pleurocapsales, and Synechococcales were exposed to 0.25-1.0% magnesium perchlorate concentrations (1.5-6.0 mM ClO4- ions) for 14 days. The exposure to perchlorate induced at least partial inhibition of growth in all tested strains, although five of them were able to grow at the highest perchlorate concentration: Chroococcidiopsis thermalis, Leptolyngbya foveolarum, Arthronema africanum, Geitlerinema cf. acuminatum, and Cephalothrix komarekiana. Chroococcidiopsis sp. Chroococcidiopsis cubana demonstrated growth up to 0.5%. Strains that maintained growth displayed significantly increased malondialdehyde content, indicating perchlorate-induced oxidative stress, whereas the chlorophyll a/carotenoids ratio tended to be decreased. The results show that selected cyanobacteria from different orders can tolerate perchlorate concentrations typical for the martian regolith, indicating that they may be useful in Mars exploration. Further studies are required to elucidate the biochemical and molecular basis for the perchlorate tolerance in selected cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- Integrated Science Association (ISA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Poznań, Poland
| | - Barbara Poniedziałek
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Natalia Hippmann
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Łukasz Kaczmarek
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
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5
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Díaz-Rullo J, Rodríguez-Valdecantos G, Torres-Rojas F, Cid L, Vargas IT, González B, González-Pastor JE. Mining for Perchlorate Resistance Genes in Microorganisms From Sediments of a Hypersaline Pond in Atacama Desert, Chile. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:723874. [PMID: 34367123 PMCID: PMC8343002 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.723874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Perchlorate is an oxidative pollutant toxic to most of terrestrial life by promoting denaturation of macromolecules, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. However, several microorganisms, especially hyperhalophiles, are able to tolerate high levels of this compound. Furthermore, relatively high quantities of perchlorate salts were detected on the Martian surface, and due to its strong hygroscopicity and its ability to substantially decrease the freezing point of water, perchlorate is thought to increase the availability of liquid brine water in hyper-arid and cold environments, such as the Martian regolith. Therefore, perchlorate has been proposed as a compound worth studying to better understanding the habitability of the Martian surface. In the present work, to study the molecular mechanisms of perchlorate resistance, a functional metagenomic approach was used, and for that, a small-insert library was constructed with DNA isolated from microorganisms exposed to perchlorate in sediments of a hypersaline pond in the Atacama Desert, Chile (Salar de Maricunga), one of the regions with the highest levels of perchlorate on Earth. The metagenomic library was hosted in Escherichia coli DH10B strain and exposed to sodium perchlorate. This technique allowed the identification of nine perchlorate-resistant clones and their environmental DNA fragments were sequenced. A total of seventeen ORFs were predicted, individually cloned, and nine of them increased perchlorate resistance when expressed in E. coli DH10B cells. These genes encoded hypothetical conserved proteins of unknown functions and proteins similar to other not previously reported to be involved in perchlorate resistance that were related to different cellular processes such as RNA processing, tRNA modification, DNA protection and repair, metabolism, and protein degradation. Furthermore, these genes also conferred resistance to UV-radiation, 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4-NQO) and/or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), other stress conditions that induce oxidative stress, and damage in proteins and nucleic acids. Therefore, the novel genes identified will help us to better understand the molecular strategies of microorganisms to survive in the presence of perchlorate and may be used in Mars exploration for creating perchlorate-resistance strains interesting for developing Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) based on in situ resource utilization (ISRU).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Díaz-Rullo
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
- Polytechnic School, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Gustavo Rodríguez-Valdecantos
- Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Torres-Rojas
- Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis Cid
- Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ignacio T. Vargas
- Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable (CEDEUS), Santiago, Chile
| | - Bernardo González
- Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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6
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Bashir AK, Wink L, Duller S, Schwendner P, Cockell C, Rettberg P, Mahnert A, Beblo-Vranesevic K, Bohmeier M, Rabbow E, Gaboyer F, Westall F, Walter N, Cabezas P, Garcia-Descalzo L, Gomez F, Malki M, Amils R, Ehrenfreund P, Monaghan E, Vannier P, Marteinsson V, Erlacher A, Tanski G, Strauss J, Bashir M, Riedo A, Moissl-Eichinger C. Taxonomic and functional analyses of intact microbial communities thriving in extreme, astrobiology-relevant, anoxic sites. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:50. [PMID: 33602336 PMCID: PMC7893877 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00989-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extreme terrestrial, analogue environments are widely used models to study the limits of life and to infer habitability of extraterrestrial settings. In contrast to Earth's ecosystems, potential extraterrestrial biotopes are usually characterized by a lack of oxygen. METHODS In the MASE project (Mars Analogues for Space Exploration), we selected representative anoxic analogue environments (permafrost, salt-mine, acidic lake and river, sulfur springs) for the comprehensive analysis of their microbial communities. We assessed the microbiome profile of intact cells by propidium monoazide-based amplicon and shotgun metagenome sequencing, supplemented with an extensive cultivation effort. RESULTS The information retrieved from microbiome analyses on the intact microbial community thriving in the MASE sites, together with the isolation of 31 model microorganisms and successful binning of 15 high-quality genomes allowed us to observe principle pathways, which pinpoint specific microbial functions in the MASE sites compared to moderate environments. The microorganisms were characterized by an impressive machinery to withstand physical and chemical pressures. All levels of our analyses revealed the strong and omnipresent dependency of the microbial communities on complex organic matter. Moreover, we identified an extremotolerant cosmopolitan group of 34 poly-extremophiles thriving in all sites. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal the presence of a core microbiome and microbial taxonomic similarities between saline and acidic anoxic environments. Our work further emphasizes the importance of the environmental, terrestrial parameters for the functionality of a microbial community, but also reveals a high proportion of living microorganisms in extreme environments with a high adaptation potential within habitability borders. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kristin Bashir
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Wink
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Stefanie Duller
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Petra Schwendner
- UK Center for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Charles Cockell
- UK Center for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexander Mahnert
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Elke Rabbow
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Frederic Gaboyer
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherché Scientifique (CNRS), Orléans, France
| | - Frances Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherché Scientifique (CNRS), Orléans, France
| | | | | | - Laura Garcia-Descalzo
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial – Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | - Felipe Gomez
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial – Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mustapha Malki
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Amils
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Euan Monaghan
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Viggo Marteinsson
- MATIS, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Armin Erlacher
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - George Tanski
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jens Strauss
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Mina Bashir
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Riedo
- Sackler Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
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7
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Garcia-Descalzo L, Gil-Lozano C, Muñoz-Iglesias V, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Azua-Bustos A, Fairén AG. Can Halophilic and Psychrophilic Microorganisms Modify the Freezing/Melting Curve of Cold Salty Solutions? Implications for Mars Habitability. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1067-1075. [PMID: 32833498 PMCID: PMC7116095 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We present the hypothesis that microorganisms can change the freezing/melting curve of cold salty solutions by protein expression, as it is known that proteins can affect the liquid-to-ice transition, an ability that could be of ecological advantage for organisms on Earth and on Mars. We tested our hypothesis by identifying a suitable candidate, the well-known psycrophile and halotolerant bacteria Rhodococcus sp. JG3, and analyzing its response in culture conditions that included specific hygroscopic salts relevant to Mars-that is, highly concentrated magnesium perchlorate solutions of 20 wt % and 50 wt % Mg(ClO4)2 at both end members of the eutectic concentration (44 wt %)-and subfreezing temperatures (263 K and 253 K). Using a combination of techniques of molecular microbiology and aqueous geochemistry, we evaluated the potential roles of proteins over- or underexpressed as important players in different mechanisms for the adaptability of life to cold environments. We recorded the changes observed by micro-differential scanning calorimetry. Unfortunately, Rhodococcus sp. JG3 did not show our hypothesized effect on the melting characteristics of cold Mg-perchlorate solutions. However, the question remains as to whether our novel hypothesis that halophilic/psychrophilic bacteria or archaea can alter the freezing/melting curve of salt solutions could be validated. The null result obtained after analyzing just one case lays the foundation to continue the search for proteins produced by microorganisms that thrive in very cold, high-saline solutions, which would involve testing different microorganisms with different salt components. The immediate implications for the habitability of Mars are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carolina Gil-Lozano
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Geociencias Marinas, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | | | | | - Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 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), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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8
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A New Record for Microbial Perchlorate Tolerance: Fungal Growth in NaClO 4 Brines and its Implications for Putative Life on Mars. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:life10050053. [PMID: 32353964 PMCID: PMC7281446 DOI: 10.3390/life10050053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The habitability of Mars is strongly dependent on the availability of liquid water, which is essential for life as we know it. One of the few places where liquid water might be found on Mars is in liquid perchlorate brines that could form via deliquescence. As these concentrated perchlorate salt solutions do not occur on Earth as natural environments, it is necessary to investigate in lab experiments the potential of these brines to serve as a microbial habitat. Here, we report on the sodium perchlorate (NaClO4) tolerances for the halotolerant yeast Debaryomyces hansenii and the filamentous fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum. Microbial growth was determined visually, microscopically and via counting colony forming units (CFU). With the observed growth of D. hansenii in liquid growth medium containing 2.4 M NaClO4, we found by far the highest microbial perchlorate tolerance reported to date, more than twice as high as the record reported prior (for the bacterium Planococcus halocryophilus). It is plausible to assume that putative Martian microbes could adapt to even higher perchlorate concentrations due to their long exposure to these environments occurring naturally on Mars, which also increases the likelihood of microbial life thriving in the Martian brines.
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9
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Tu S, Lobanov SS, Bai J, Zhong H, Gregerson J, Rogers AD, Ehm L, Parise JB. Enhanced Formation of Solvent-Shared Ion Pairs in Aqueous Calcium Perchlorate Solution toward Saturated Concentration or Deep Supercooling Temperature and Its Effects on the Water Structure. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:9654-9667. [PMID: 31638809 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b08009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
As a candidate of Martian salts, calcium perchlorate [Ca(ClO4)2] has the potential to stabilize liquid water on the Martian surface because of its hygroscopicity and low freezing temperature when forming aqueous solution. These two properties of electrolytes in general have been suggested to result from the specific cation-anion-water interaction (ion pairing) that interrupts the structure of solvent water. To investigate how this concentration-dependent and temperature-dependent ion pairing process in aqueous Ca(ClO4)2 solution leads to its high hygroscopic property and the extreme low eutectic temperature, we have conducted two sets of experiments. First, the effects of concentration on aqueous calcium perchlorate from 3 to 7.86 m on ion pairing were investigated using Raman spectroscopy. Deconvolution of the Raman symmetric stretching band (ν1) of ClO4- showed the enhanced formation of solvent-shared ion pairs upon increasing salt concentration at room temperature. We have confirmed that the low tendency of forming contact ion pairs in concentrated solution contributes to the high hygroscopicity of the salt. Second, the near eutectic samples were studied as a function of temperature by both combined differential scanning calorimetry-Raman spectroscopic experiments and in situ X-ray diffraction. The number of solvent-shared ion pairs was found to increase with decreasing temperature when cooled below the temperature of maximum density of the solution, driven by a change in water toward an ice-like structure in the supercooled regime. The massive presence of solvent-shared ion pairs in turn limits the development of the long-range order in the tetrahedral networks of water molecules, which is responsible for the extremely low eutectic point and deep supercooling effects observed in the Ca(ClO4)2-H2O system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen Tu
- Department of Geosciences , Stony Brook University , 255 Earth and Space Science Building , Stony Brook , New York 11794-2100 , United States
| | - Sergey S Lobanov
- Department of Geosciences , Stony Brook University , 255 Earth and Space Science Building , Stony Brook , New York 11794-2100 , United States.,GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences , Section 3.6, Telegrafenberg , 14473 Potsdam , Germany
| | - Jianming Bai
- National Synchrotron Light Source II , Brookhaven National Laboratory , Upton , New York 11973-5000 , United States
| | - Hui Zhong
- Joint Photon Sciences Institute , Stony Brook University , Earth and Space Science Building , Stony Brook , New York 11790-2100 , United States
| | - Jason Gregerson
- Department of Geosciences , Stony Brook University , 255 Earth and Space Science Building , Stony Brook , New York 11794-2100 , United States
| | - A Deanne Rogers
- Department of Geosciences , Stony Brook University , 255 Earth and Space Science Building , Stony Brook , New York 11794-2100 , United States
| | - Lars Ehm
- Department of Geosciences , Stony Brook University , 255 Earth and Space Science Building , Stony Brook , New York 11794-2100 , United States.,National Synchrotron Light Source II , Brookhaven National Laboratory , Upton , New York 11973-5000 , United States
| | - John B Parise
- Department of Geosciences , Stony Brook University , 255 Earth and Space Science Building , Stony Brook , New York 11794-2100 , United States.,National Synchrotron Light Source II , Brookhaven National Laboratory , Upton , New York 11973-5000 , United States.,Joint Photon Sciences Institute , Stony Brook University , Earth and Space Science Building , Stony Brook , New York 11790-2100 , United States.,Chemistry Department , Stony Brook University , 104 Chemistry Building , Stony Brook , New York 11790-3400 , United States
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10
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Heinz J, Waajen AC, Airo A, Alibrandi A, Schirmack J, Schulze-Makuch D. Bacterial Growth in Chloride and Perchlorate Brines: Halotolerances and Salt Stress Responses of Planococcus halocryophilus. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1377-1387. [PMID: 31386567 PMCID: PMC6818489 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Extraterrestrial environments encompass physicochemical conditions and habitats that are unknown on Earth, such as perchlorate-rich brines that can be at least temporarily stable on the martian surface. To better understand the potential for life in these cold briny environments, we determined the maximum salt concentrations suitable for growth (MSCg) of six different chloride and perchlorate salts at 25°C and 4°C for the extremotolerant cold- and salt-adapted bacterial strain Planococcus halocryophilus. Growth was measured through colony-forming unit (CFU) counts, while cellular and colonial phenotypic stress responses were observed through visible light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Our data show the following: (1) The tolerance to high salt concentrations can be increased through a stepwise inoculation toward higher concentrations. (2) Ion-specific factors are more relevant for the growth limitation of P. halocryophilus in saline solutions than single physicochemical parameters like ionic strength or water activity. (3) P. halocryophilus shows the highest microbial sodium perchlorate tolerance described so far. However, (4) MSCg values are higher for all chlorides compared to perchlorates. (5) The MSCg for calcium chloride was increased by lowering the temperature from 25°C to 4°C, while sodium- and magnesium-containing salts can be tolerated at 25°C to higher concentrations than at 4°C. (6) Depending on salt type and concentration, P. halocryophilus cells show distinct phenotypic stress responses such as novel types of colony morphology on agar plates and biofilm-like cell clustering, encrustation, and development of intercellular nanofilaments. This study, taken in context with previous work on the survival of extremophiles in Mars-like environments, suggests that high-concentrated perchlorate brines on Mars might not be habitable to any present organism on Earth, but extremophilic microorganisms might be able to evolve thriving in such environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Heinz
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annemiek C. Waajen
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alessandro Airo
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Armando Alibrandi
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janosch Schirmack
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology Research Group, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
- GFZ German Center for Geoscience, Section Geomicrobiology, Potsdam, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Experimental Limnology, Stechlin, Germany
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11
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Survivability of Soil and Permafrost Microbial Communities after Irradiation with Accelerated Electrons under Simulated Martian and Open Space Conditions. GEOSCIENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/geosciences8080298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
One of the prior current astrobiological tasks is revealing the limits of microbial resistance to extraterrestrial conditions. Much attention is paid to ionizing radiation, since it can prevent the preservation and spread of life outside the Earth. The aim of this research was to study the impact of accelerated electrons (~1 MeV) as component of space radiation on microbial communities in their natural habitat—the arid soil and ancient permafrost, and also on the pure bacterial cultures that were isolated from these ecotopes. The irradiation was carried out at low pressure (~0.01 Torr) and low temperature (−130 °C) to simulate the conditions of Mars or outer space. High doses of 10 kGy and 100 kGy were used to assess the effect of dose accumulation in inactive and hypometabolic cells, depending on environmental conditions under long-term irradiation estimated on a geological time scale. It was shown that irradiation with accelerated electrons in the applied doses did not sterilize native samples from Earth extreme habitats. The data obtained suggests that viable Earth-like microorganisms can be preserved in the anabiotic state for at least 1.3 and 20 million years in the regolith of modern Mars in the shallow subsurface layer and at a 5 m depth, respectively. In addition, the results of the study indicate the possibility of maintaining terrestrial like life in the ice of Europa at a 10 cm depth for at least ~170 years or for at least 400 thousand years in open space within meteorites. It is established that bacteria in natural habitat has a much higher resistance to in situ irradiation with accelerated electrons when compared to their stability in pure isolated cultures. Thanks to the protective properties of the heterophase environment and the interaction between microbial populations even radiosensitive microorganisms as members of the native microbial communities are able to withstand very high doses of ionizing radiation.
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12
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Cheptsov VS, Vorobyova EA, Osipov GA, Manucharova NA, Polyanskaya LM, Gorlenko MV, Pavlov AK, Rosanova MS, Lomasov VN. Microbial activity in Martian analog soils after ionizing radiation: implications for the preservation of subsurface life on Mars. AIMS Microbiol 2018; 4:541-562. [PMID: 31294232 PMCID: PMC6604939 DOI: 10.3934/microbiol.2018.3.541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
At present, the surface of Mars is affected by a set of factors that can prevent the survival of Earth-like life. However, the modern concept of the evolution of the planet assumes the existence more favorable for life climate in the past. If in the past on Mars had formed a biosphere, similar to the one that originated in the early Earth, it is supposed that it is preserved till now in anabiotic state in the bowels of the planet, like microbial communities inhabiting the ancient permafrost of Arctic and Antarctic. In the conditions of modern Martian regolith, this relic life seems to be deprived of the possibility of damage reparation (or these processes occur on a geological time scale), and ionizing radiation should be considered the main factor inhibiting such anabiotic life. In the present study, we studied soil samples, selected in two different extreme habitats of the Earth: ancient permafrost from the Dry Valleys of Antarctica and Xerosol soil from the mountain desert in Morocco, gamma-irradiated with 40 kGy dose at low pressure (1 Torr) and low temperature (-50 °C). Microbial communities inhabiting these samples showed in situ high resistance to the applied effects, retained high number of viable cells, metabolic activity, and high biodiversity. Based on the results, it is assumed that the putative biosphere could be preserved in the dormant state for at least 500 thousand years and 8 million years in the surface layer of Mars regolith and at 5 m depth, respectively, at the current level of ionizing radiation intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir S Cheptsov
- Soil Science Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.,Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena A Vorobyova
- Soil Science Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.,Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - George A Osipov
- International Analytical Center, Interlab, N.D.Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | | | - Anatoli K Pavlov
- Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Marina S Rosanova
- Soil Science Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir N Lomasov
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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13
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Beblo-Vranesevic K, Bohmeier M, Perras AK, Schwendner P, Rabbow E, Moissl-Eichinger C, Cockell CS, Pukall R, Vannier P, Marteinsson VT, Monaghan EP, Ehrenfreund P, Garcia-Descalzo L, Gómez F, Malki M, Amils R, Gaboyer F, Westall F, Cabezas P, Walter N, Rettberg P. The responses of an anaerobic microorganism, Yersinia intermedia MASE-LG-1 to individual and combined simulated Martian stresses. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185178. [PMID: 29069099 PMCID: PMC5656303 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The limits of life of aerobic microorganisms are well understood, but the responses of anaerobic microorganisms to individual and combined extreme stressors are less well known. Motivated by an interest in understanding the survivability of anaerobic microorganisms under Martian conditions, we investigated the responses of a new isolate, Yersinia intermedia MASE-LG-1 to individual and combined stresses associated with the Martian surface. This organism belongs to an adaptable and persistent genus of anaerobic microorganisms found in many environments worldwide. The effects of desiccation, low pressure, ionizing radiation, varying temperature, osmotic pressure, and oxidizing chemical compounds were investigated. The strain showed a high tolerance to desiccation, with a decline of survivability by four orders of magnitude during a storage time of 85 days. Exposure to X-rays resulted in dose-dependent inactivation for exposure up to 600 Gy while applied doses above 750 Gy led to complete inactivation. The effects of the combination of desiccation and irradiation were additive and the survivability was influenced by the order in which they were imposed. Ionizing irradiation and subsequent desiccation was more deleterious than vice versa. By contrast, the presence of perchlorates was not found to significantly affect the survival of the Yersinia strain after ionizing radiation. These data show that the organism has the capacity to survive and grow in physical and chemical stresses, imposed individually or in combination that are associated with Martian environment. Eventually it lost its viability showing that many of the most adaptable anaerobic organisms on Earth would be killed on Mars today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Maria Bohmeier
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexandra K. Perras
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Petra Schwendner
- School of Physics and Astronomy, UK Center for Astrobiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Elke Rabbow
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Charles S. Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, UK Center for Astrobiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Rüdiger Pukall
- German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Leibniz Institute DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Viggo T. Marteinsson
- MATIS—Prokaria, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Pascale Ehrenfreund
- Leiden Observatory, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, Netherland
- Space Policy Institute, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Laura Garcia-Descalzo
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial—Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | - Felipe Gómez
- Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial—Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CAB), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Frédéric Gaboyer
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Orléans, France
| | - Frances Westall
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Orléans, France
| | | | | | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology Department, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
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