Fossils don’t always come in large, dinosaur-sized packages. Microfossils refer to a type of fossil that is so small, it can only be perceived with a microscope. These microfossils can […]
cyanobacteria
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Plant Biology, Radiation, Space Weather & Heliophysics, Status Report
Optimizing Photosynthetic Light-harvesting Under Stars: Simple And General Antenna Models
In the next 10–20 years, several observatories will aim to detect the signatures of oxygenic photosynthesis on exoplanets, though targets must be carefully selected. Most known potentially habitable exo-planets orbit […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Commercial & Private Sector, Exploration Gear & Tech, Life Support Systems, Mars, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report
Resource-efficiency Of Cyanobacterium Production On Mars: Assessment And Paths Forward
Space agencies and private companies strive for a permanent human presence on the Moon and ultimately on Mars. Bioprocesses have been advocated as key enablers due to their ability to […]
![Rubisco form II structural differences between T. arctica UC1 and H. marinus. A) AlphaFold-generated [51,52] structures for H. marinus (transparent white) and T. arctica UC1 RbcII (dark blue) dimers aligned with ChimeraX [53]. Active sites colored red. Arrows point to the additional exposed active site residues in UC1 compared to H. marinus. The missing residues in UC1 at amino acid positions 78–82 (Fig. 4) are colored yellow on H. marinus structure (close44 up view in B). C) UC1 form II dimer with residue differences to H. marinus that confer a semi45 conservative or non-conservative change highlighted in orange.-- biorxiv.org](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Prevalence-of-the-Calvin.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Prevalence of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham Cycle in Chemolithoautotrophic Psychrophiles and the Potential for Cold-adapted Rubisco
The act of fixing inorganic carbon into the biosphere is largely facilitated by one enzyme, Rubisco. Beyond well-studied plants and cyanobacteria, many bacteria use Rubisco for chemolithoautotrophy in extreme environments […]
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Dale Andersen's Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Microbial Structures In An Antarctic Lake Could Reveal More About How Life Evolved
By Emma Caton — In the depths of remote Antarctic lakes, communities of microorganisms are thriving where few life forms can survive.
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Fossils & Paleontology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Orbital View Of Pilbara, Australia Where Some Of Earth’s Oldest Fossils Can Be Found
The Pilbara in northwestern Australia exposes some of the oldest rocks on Earth, over 3.6 billion years old. The iron-rich rocks formed before the presence of atmospheric oxygen, and life […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Commercial & Private Sector, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report
Synechococcus sp. PCC7335 Responses To Far-red Enriched Spectra and Anoxic/microoxic Atmospheres: Potential for Astrobiotechnological Applications
Recently, cyanobacteria have gained attention in space exploration to support long-term crewed missions via Bioregenerative Life Support Systems. In this frame, cyanobacteria would provide biomass and profitable biomolecules through oxygenic […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Dale Andersen's Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Astrobiology Expedition To Lake Untersee, Antarctica: Genome-resolved Metagenomics Reveals Diverse Taxa And Metabolic Complexity
Lake Untersee, a lake in Antarctica that is perennially covered with ice, is home to unique microbial structures that are not lithified.
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report
First Insights Into The Bacterial Diversity of Mount Etna Volcanic Caves
While microbial communities in limestone caves across the world are relatively understood, knowledge of the microbial composition in lava tubes is lagging behind. These caves are found in volcanic regions […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Plant Biology, Space Agriculture, Space Weather & Heliophysics, Status Report, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Observation of Significant Photosynthesis in Garden Cress and Cyanobacteria under Simulated Illumination from a K Dwarf Star
Stars with about 45 to 80% the mass of the Sun, so-called K dwarf stars, have previously been proposed as optimal host stars in the search for habitable extrasolar worlds.