The salty tango of brine composition and UV photochemistry effects on Halobacterium salinarum cell envelope biosignature preservation.

ABSTRACT: Hypersaline environments, including brines and brine inclusions of evaporite crystals, are currently of great interest due to their unique preservation properties for the search for terrestrial and potentially extraterrestrial biosignatures of ancient life. However, much is still unclear about the specific effects that dictate the preservation properties of brines. Here we present the first insights into the preservation of cell envelope fragments in brines, characterizing the relative contributions of brine composition, UV photochemistry, and cellular macromolecules on biosignature preservation. Cell envelopes from the model halophile Halobacterium salinarum were used to simulate dead microbial cellular remains in hypersaline environments based on life as we currently know it. Using diffe

SUBMITTER: Bourmance L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11992018 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature