Nitrogen isotope fractionation (ε15N) in sedimentary rocks has provided evidence for biological nitrogen fixation, and thus primary productivity, on the early Earth.
biorxiv.org
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Ancient Amino Acid Sets Enable Stable Protein Folds
Early proteins likely arose from a chemically limited set of amino acids available through prebiotic chemistry, raising a central question in molecular evolution: could such primitive compositions yield stable, functional […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report
Plasmidome, Resistome, and Virulence-associated Genes Characterization of Acinetobacter Johnsonii in NASA Cleanrooms and a Clinical Setting
Evidence shows persistence of non-spore-forming Acinetobacter johnsonii in high-stakes controlled and nutrient-limited environments.
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 inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Microbial Exoenzymes Catalyzed The Transition To An Oxygenated Earth
Microbial exoenzymes—extracellular enzymes secreted to degrade complex organic polymers— are essential for recycling carbon and nutrients, thus sustaining primary productivity in today’s oceans.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
The Microbiology and Geochemistry of The Shallow-water Hydrothermal Vents of the Gulf of Naples, Italy
Shallow-water hydrothermal vents are dynamic ecosystems that occur below 200 m in tectonically active regions of the planet.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Agnostic Tools for Life Detection: A Multiscale Approach to Biological and Chemical Reaction Networks
Life manifests itself across a variety of different operative scales, ranging from molecular networks up to ecologies.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
A Niche Construction-based Perspective On Chemical Evolution Before Replication And Reproduction
Conceptual analysis has, in the past decades, established that evolution by natural selection (ENS) can occur without reproduction (1–6). This theoretical advancement has significant imports for research on the origins […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Mars, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) Condensates Modulate Survival In Response To Mars-like Stress Conditions
Scientific advances have emboldened human efforts toward exploring the potential of extinct, extant, or future life on Mars.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Peptides At Vesicle And Mineral Prebiotic Interfaces
The origin of life likely involved a complex interplay between organic molecules and mineral surfaces, yet the molecular details of these interactions remain poorly understood.