SUMMARY: The EU-funded project XTREMOLIFE aims to accelerate the bioprospecting and biodiscovery of extremophile microorganisms from desert, polar, and volcanic environments, as well as the identification of their bioactive compounds, […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Commercial & Private Sector, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Sample Return
![Raman optical observations at 10× and 100× showing original halite hopper crystal and microbial movement within fluid inclusions entombed within the crystal structure. (A) Entire halite cubic crystal showing rectangular fluid inclusions on all four faces with an air bubble on the left face. Scale bar is at 100 μm. (B) Enhanced image of (A) showing fluid inclusion patterns within cubic halite habits. Scale bar is at 100 μm. (C) 100× image highlighting a fluid inclusion within a single crystal. Red arrows show microbial movement. Green targeting dot highlights an entombed biomass. Scale bar is 2 μm. (D) Another 100× image showing a larger fluid inclusion [when compared with (C)] with increased microbial movement within the fluid inclusion. Scale bar is 2 μm for 2C,D. -- Astrobiology via Sage Journals](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Evaporitic-Preservation-of-Modern.png?resize=1200%2C713&ssl=1)
![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)
