Detecting non-volatile life- and non-life-derived organics in a carbonaceous chondrite analogue with a new multiplex immunoassay and its relevance for planetary exploration
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Among the potential martian molecular targets are those supplied by meteoritic carbonaceous chondrites such as amino acids and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), or true biomarkers by any hypothetical Martian biota (aromatic amino acids, steroid and triterpene molecules, peptides). Heat extraction and pyrolysis based methods currently used in planetary exploration are highly aggressive and very often modify the target molecules making a cumbersome task their identification. We have developed and validated a mild, non-destructive, multiplex competitive/inhibitory microarray immunoassay and its implementation in the SOLID (Signs of Life Detector) instrument for simultaneous detection of several organic molecules relevant for Mars exploration and environmental monitoring. A multiplex inhibitory immunoassay with a set of highly specific and sensitive antibodies capable to distinguish between D and L aromatic amino acids (Phe, Tyr, Trp), benzo[a]pyrene (BAP), pentachlorophenol or sulfone-containing aromatics, was validated in SOLID instrument for the analysis of kerogen samples as analogues of refractory organic material in carbonaceous chondrites or even Mars organics. Most of the antibodies exhibited sensitivities at 1-10 ppb level and some of them even at ppt. The multiplex immunoassay allowed the detection of BAP as well as aromatic sulfones in a water/methanol extract of an early cretaceous sample (c.a. 100 My) enriched in type IV kerogen. No L/D aromatic amino acids were detected, reflecting the high maturity and the absence of chemical groups. The results demonstrated once more the feasibility of multiplex inhibitory immunoassays and its potential use for in situ analytical instruments in planetary exploration and environmental monitoring.
Date Issued
2018-08-01
Date Acceptance
2018-01-18
Citation
Astrobiology, 2018, 18 (8), pp.1041-1056
ISSN
1531-1074
Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert
Start Page
1041
End Page
1056
Journal / Book Title
Astrobiology
Volume
18
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
© Mercedes Moreno-Pazet al., 2018; 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.
License URL
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Grant Number
ST/N000560/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Biology
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics
Geology
Planetary exploration
Molecular biomarkers
D- and L- aromatic amino acids
Life detection
Multiplex inhibitory/competitive immunoassay
Kerogen type IV
EXTRATERRESTRIAL AMINO-ACIDS
LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAYS
MARKER CHIP
ANTIBODIES
MARS
RADIATION
INSTRUMENT
MOLECULES
MICROARRAYS
COMMUNITIES
0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences
0402 Geochemistry
0403 Geology
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-04-11