![NifH2 cycle of Mo-nitrogenase. The NifH2 homodimer is shown in blue; it houses two nucleotide binding sites and a [4Fe-4S] redox active cluster. One catalytic half (NifDK) of the NifD2K2 heterotetramer is shown in yellow (K) and green (D); each catalytic half houses one [8Fe-7S] (Pcluster) and a [7Fe-9S-Mo-C-homocitrate] (FeMo-co) active site metallocluster. When NifH2 binds to NifDK an electron is transferred from the [4Fe-4S] cluster to FeMo-co mediated by P-cluster. NifH2 then hydrolyzes 2 ATP, dissociates with MgADP bound and an oxidized [4Fe4S] cluster. MgADP is then exchanged for MgATP and the [4Fe-4S] cluster is reduced, preparing NifH2 for binding and electron transfer. -- biorxiv.org](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/The-Origins-of-ATP.png?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Life depends on a conserved set of chemical energy currencies that are relics of early biochemistry. One of these is ATP, a molecule that, when paired with a divalent metal […]
biorxiv.org
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Optical Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy (O-PTIR): A Promising New Tool For Bench-top Analytical Palaeontology At The Sub-micron Scale
The identification of preserved organic material within fossils is challenging. Well-established vibrational spectroscopy techniques, such as micro-FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy), have been widely used to investigate organic fossils molecular […]
Posted inBiophysics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Predicting The First Steps Of Evolution In Randomly Assembled Communities
Microbial communities can self-assemble into highly diverse states with predictable statistical properties. However, these initial states can be disrupted by rapid evolution of the resident strains. When a new mutation […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Emergence Of Prochlorococcus In The Tonian Oceans And The Initiation Of Neoproterozoic Oxygenation
Prochlorococcus are the smallest and most abundant photosynthetic organisms on Earth, contributing up to 50% of the chlorophyll in the oligotrophic oceans.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Active Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Viral Ecology Across Spatial Scale In A Deep-sea Brine Pool
Deep-sea brine pools represent rare, extreme environments that focus biodiversity at bathyal to abyssal depths. Despite their small size and distribution, brine pools represent important ecosystems to study because they […]
![AlphaFold structures of NLS-containing proteins. AlphaFold2 structures modeled from NLS-predicted proteins that had no SwissProt BLASTP hits (E-value < 1e-15). [AB] Structures for those that had a FoldSeek hit against the AlphaFold2 SwissProt database (E-value < 1E-05). The yellow and blue structures indicate the reference and the predicted H. exemplaris protein structures, respectively. [A] BV898_05254.p01 (5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1E (AF-Q6VB83-F1-model_v4.pdb E-value = 6.22E-12, RMSD between 163 pruned atom pairs is 1.124 angstroms across all 353 pairs: 10.861) [B] Ecdysone-induced protein 78C (AF-P45447-F1-model_v4 E26 value 4.48E-08, RMSD between 84 pruned atom pairs is 1.044 angstroms; across all 391 pairs: 32.283) [C-F] Transcripts that had an IUPRED3 score of 1.0 [C] BV898_03773.p01, [D] BV898_07132.p01 [E] BV898_12866.p01 [F] BV898_18010.p01. -- biorxiv.org](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Transcriptome-analysis-1.png?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Posted inBiophysics, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Panspermia, Radiation, Status Report, Tardigrades
Transcriptome Analysis Of The Tardigrade Hypsibius Exemplaris Exposed To The DNA-damaging Agent Bleomycin
Tardigrades are microscopic animals that are renowned for their capabilities of tolerating near-complete desiccation by entering an ametabolic state called anhydrobiosis.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Constraints On The Emergence Of RNA Through Non-Templated Primer Extension With Mixtures Of Potentially Prebiotic Nucleotides
The emergence of RNA on the early Earth is likely to have been influenced by a series of chemical and physical processes that acted to filter out various alternative nucleic […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Examining The Role Of Oxygen-binding Proteins On The Early Eevolution Of Multicellularity
Oxygen availability is a key factor in the evolution of multicellularity, as larger and more sophisticated organisms often require mechanisms allowing efficient oxygen delivery to their tissues. One such mechanism […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Commercial & Private Sector, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Space Physiology & Medicine, Status Report
Pharmacogenomics Guided Spaceflight: The Intersection Between Space-flown Drugs And Space Genes
Ten years ago, it was predicted that the multi-omics revolution would also revolutionize space pharmacogenomics. Current barriers related to the findable, accessible, interoperable, and reproducible use of space-flown pharmaceutical data […]
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Commercial & Private Sector, Gravitational Biology, Life Support Systems, Plant Biology, Space Agriculture, Space Life Science, Status Report
From Dust To Seed: A Lunar Chickpea Story
Food sustainability is one of the most significant barriers to long-term space travel. Providing resources from Earth is not cost-efficient, and resupply missions are not viable to meet the needs […]