Enhanced Microbial Survivability in Subzero Brines.
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Published version
Author(s)
Heinz, Jacob
Schirmack, Janosch
Airo, Alessandro
Kounaves, Samuel P
Schulze-Makuch, Dirk
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
It is well known that dissolved salts can significantly lower the freezing point of water and thus extend habitability to subzero conditions. However, most investigations thus far have focused on sodium chloride as a solute. In this study, we report on the survivability of the bacterial strain Planococcus halocryophilus in sodium, magnesium, and calcium chloride or perchlorate solutions at temperatures ranging from +25°C to -30°C. In addition, we determined the survival rates of P. halocryophilus when subjected to multiple freeze/thaw cycles. We found that cells suspended in chloride-containing samples have markedly increased survival rates compared with those in perchlorate-containing samples. In both cases, the survival rates increase with lower temperatures; however, this effect is more pronounced in chloride-containing samples. Furthermore, we found that higher salt concentrations increase survival rates when cells are subjected to freeze/thaw cycles. Our findings have important implications not only for the habitability of cold environments on Earth but also for extraterrestrial environments such as that of Mars, where cold brines might exist in the subsurface and perhaps even appear temporarily at the surface such as at recurring slope lineae. Key Words: Brines-Halophile-Mars-Perchlorate-Subzero-Survival. Astrobiology 18, xxx-xxx.
Date Issued
2018-04-17
Date Acceptance
2018-03-08
Citation
Astrobiology, 2018, 18 (9)
ISSN
1531-1074
Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert
Journal / Book Title
Astrobiology
Volume
18
Issue
9
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Jacob Heinz
et al.; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. This Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly credited.
et al.; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. This Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly credited.
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29664686
Subjects
0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences
0402 Geochemistry
0403 Geology
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2018-04-17