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Radiation Resistance of Biological Reagents for In Situ Life Detection

Author(s)
Carr, Christopher E.; Rowedder, Holli; Vafadari, Cyrus; Lui, Clarissa S.; Cascio, Ethan; Ruvkun, Gary; Zuber, Maria; ... Show more Show less
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Abstract
Life on Mars, if it exists, may share a common ancestry with life on Earth derived from meteoritic transfer of microbes between the planets. One means to test this hypothesis is to isolate, detect, and sequence nucleic acids in situ on Mars, then search for similarities to known common features of life on Earth. Such an instrument would require biological and chemical components, such as polymerase and fluorescent dye molecules. We show that reagents necessary for detection and sequencing of DNA survive several analogues of the radiation expected during a 2-year mission to Mars, including proton (H-1), heavy ion (Fe-56, O-18), and neutron bombardment. Some reagents have reduced performance or fail at higher doses. Overall, our findings suggest it is feasible to utilize space instruments with biological components, particularly for mission durations of up to several years in environments without large accumulations of charged particles, such as the surface of Mars, and have implications for the meteoritic transfer of microbes between planets.
Date issued
2013-01
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/77577
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. School of Engineering
Journal
Astrobiology
Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert
Citation
Carr, Christopher E. et al. “Radiation Resistance of Biological Reagents for In Situ Life Detection.” Astrobiology 13.1 (2013): 68–78. ©2013 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Version: Final published version
ISSN
1531-1074
1557-8070

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