 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Martian Cook Up Closer Than Ever
Fayetteville - May 23, 2001 University of Arkansas researchers have moved one step closer to growing microorganisms under Mars-like conditions by suspending them in water containing dissolved matter from Mars soil simulant. D. Ryan Ormond, Curtis R. Bekkum and Timothy Kral, associate professor of biological sciences, reported their findings this week at the American Society for Microbiology meeting in Orlando. "We've eliminated one factor," said Kral, bringing them one step closer to approaching conditions on Mars. The researchers work with methanogens, microorganisms of the group Archaea. These organisms grow under anaerobic conditions, often in extreme environments, so Kral believes they may provide clues to the type of life that might be found below the surface of Mars. Methanogens can be found deep in the ocean, in the earth's crust or even in a cow's stomach, all of which are environments that might be considered harsh like the conditions found on Mars. Two years ago, Kral became the first scientist to grow microbes under some of the conditions found on Mars. Now he and research assistants Bekkum and Ormond have refined their experiments to eliminate one factor likely not found on Mars -- a standard buffer used to keep the methanogens in suspension so they don't disintegrate. The researchers added Mars soil simulant in varying amounts to de-ionized water, then mixed it overnight. They decanted the mixture the next day and used the liquid fraction to wash and suspend the methanogens. The suspensions were added to Mars soil simulant in sealed anaerobic tubes and incubated, then analyzed for methane metabolism, an indicator of methanogen growth. The samples were compared to a control that was suspended in a standard sodium hydroxide buffer with bubbled carbon dioxide gas. "We can use the liquid fraction of water mixed with soil simulant to suspend the cells, and the organisms will grow," Kral said. The methanogens grew in the liquid fraction composed of water and simulant, although not as well as they did in the standard buffer. The researchers hypothesize that the pH, which was lower for the liquid fractions, may have reduced growth. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links University of Arkansas SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com Lunar Dreams and more
Spirit Heading To 'Home Plate'
Pasadena CA (JPL) Jan 09, 2006Last week Spirit completed robotic-arm work on "El Dorado." The rover used all three of its spectrometers plus the microscopic imager for readings over the New Year's weekend. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
