[NASA] Some of Earth’s microbes likely to hitch a ride to space with human explorers could survive in the shaded nooks and crannies of the Moon’s South Pole region, NASA […]
Bacillus subtilis
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
The Origin Of The Genetic Code Is Encrypted In The Structure Of Present-day Transfer RNAs
Background/ Objectives: Resolving the origin of the genetic code is fundamental to understanding how life began its journey out of the chemical world. Since its deciphering some 60 years ago, […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Growth Of Microorganisms In A Martian Regolith Simulant At Reduced Water Activity
Water activity (aw) quantifies the free water available for microbial growth. At the cellular level, liquid water is paramount for replication and proliferation. Research on Earth-like life suggests that microbial […]
Posted inExploration Gear & Tech, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report
Susceptibility Of Microbes To far-UVC Light (222 nm) On Spacecraft And Cleanroom Surfaces
Far-UVC light (222 nm) is an emerging decontamination tool with potential for spacecraft assembly applications due to its strong germicidal efficacy and minimal risk to human health.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Radiation, Sample Return, Status Report
Endospore Integrity And Viability Of Bacillus subtilis On Simulated Martian Regolith In Rotational UVC Radiation Exposures
Current understanding of Martian regolith has advanced due to various rover explorations. Due to this, there are now several variants of Martian regolith that are chemically known and commercially available.
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Moon, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report
A Microbial Survival Model For The permanently Shadowed Regions Of The Moon Shows Long-Term Survival of Terrestrial Microbe Forward Contamination
Based on previous models of microbial survival there are regions in the solar system which have high preservation potential for terrestrial spore-forming microbes such as Bacillus subtilis.
Posted inBiophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Space Life Science, Tricorders & Sensors
Life Detection: A Simple Test For Moving Microbes
Finding life in outer space is one of the great endeavors of humankind. One approach is to find motile microorganisms that can move independently, an ability that is a solid […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors
Application Of Chemotactic Behavior For Life Detection
One excellent biosignature for the present detection of microbial life on Earth is motility, leading to its growing interest within the astrobiological community as an observable attribute that, if detected […]
Posted inBiophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Preservation of Bacillus subtilis’ Cellular Liquid State at Deep Sub-zero Temperatures In Perchlorate Brines
Although a low temperature limit for life has not been established, it is thought that there exists a physical limit imposed by the onset of intracellular vitrification, typically occurring at […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Space Physiology & Medicine, Status Report
Bacillus Subtilis Engineered For Aerospace Medicine: A Platform For Off-planet Production Of Pharmaceutical Peptides
Biologics, such as pharmaceutical peptides, have notoriously short shelf lives, insufficient for long-duration space flight missions to the Moon or Mars.