Biology
Scientific paper
Dec 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007agufm.p11c0698s&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2007, abstract #P11C-0698
Biology
0406 Astrobiology And Extraterrestrial Materials, 0456 Life In Extreme Environments, 5200 Planetary Sciences: Astrobiology, 6221 Europa, 6225 Mars
Scientific paper
Redox gradients are essential for life as we know it. Strong oxidants to retain these gradients are produced in a variety of planetary environments by UV and ionizing radiation. Houtkooper and Schulze-Makuch (2007) previously suggested hydrogen peroxide as an essential biological ingredient for putative Martian life to adapt to the challenging near-surface conditions on the Red Planet. On Earth, adaptation and use of oxidants is widespread. Examples are microorganisms that use or produce oxidants, and the microbe Acetobacter peroxidans, which uses the decomposition of H2O2 as its major metabolic pathway. However, oxidants may also be critical biogenic components on outer Solar System objects of high astrobiological potential such as Europa and Enceladus. Exothermic reactivity of oxidants additionally contributes heat for habitable environments and acceleration of chemical processes potentially supporting life. Oxidation chemistry produces volatile gases and other detectable species that may be diagnostic of recent and ongoing biochemistry. More reduced chemical environments like the Titan atmosphere, and more isolated liquid water habitats like the deep-lying subsurface oceans of Ganymede and Callisto, may be astrobiologically impacted by externally driven inputs of oxidants over billions of years. Houtkooper, J.M. and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2007) A possible biogenic origin for hydrogen peroxide on Mars: the Viking results reinterpreted. Int. J. of Astrobiology 6: 147-152. Cooper, J. F., P. D. Cooper, E. C. Sittler, S. J. Sturner, A. M. Rymer, and M. E. Hill. Radiolytic gas-driven cryovolcanism in the outer solar system, J. Geophys. Res., in review.
Cooper Joshua
Houtkooper Joop
Schulze-Makuch Dirk
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