Biology
Scientific paper
Apr 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009asbio...9..297w&link_type=abstract
Astrobiology, Volume 9, Issue 3, pp. 297-303.
Biology
1
Scientific paper
A life-detection system based on the expectation that any viable organism will utilize stereoisomers of a given compound asymmetrically is examined. Aqueous extracts of common soil, Mars regolith simulant JSC Mars-1, and suspensions of E. coli and S. cerevisiae were incubated with stereoisomer pairs. The enantiomeric pairs were either D- and L-glucose or a pair of chiral tetrasaccharides. Following an incubation period of 10 days, stereoisomeric selectivity is detectable with the glucose pair by mass spectrometry in extracts made from soil at 0.5 g/ml, in extracts made from JSC Mars-1 at 2.5 g/ml, and in cell suspensions down to 1.0 × 107 cells/ml. For the tetrasaccharide pair, stereoisomeric selectivity was detected in extracts made from 0.5 g/ml or more of common soil but not in JSC Mars-1 simulant. The effective sensitivity in extracts was 2.5 × 107 cells/ml or better for the glucose pair and 5.0 × 108 cells/ml or better for the tetrasaccharide pair. The sensitivity of the glucose pair was such that it could detect life in samples that would be found to be devoid of organic matter by the GCMS system carried by the Viking landers. The results demonstrate the utility of the approach in the search for biological activity on Mars. However, sensitivity is a function of the enantiomer pair used, and this might also be different for hypothetical martian organisms. Therefore, it will be necessary to characterize additional stereoisomeric pairs and, ultimately, to include several in a single test environment.
Chu Huanyi
Fox George Ernest
Siefert Johnathan
Warmflash David
No associations
LandOfFree
Life Detection Using Glucose and Tetrasaccharide Enantiomer Pairs does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Life Detection Using Glucose and Tetrasaccharide Enantiomer Pairs, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Life Detection Using Glucose and Tetrasaccharide Enantiomer Pairs will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1238339