Towards Determining Biosignature Retention in Icy World Plumes.

ABSTRACT: With the discovery of the persistent jets of water being ejected to space from Enceladus, an understanding of the effect of the space environment on potential organisms and biosignatures in them is necessary for planning life detection missions. We experimentally determine the survivability of microbial cells in liquid medium when ejected into vacuum. Epifluorescence microscopy, using a lipid stain, and SEM imaging were used to interrogate the cellular integrity of E. coli after ejected through a pressurized nozzle into a vacuum chamber. The experimental samples showed a 94% decrease in visible intact E. coli cells but showed a fluorescence residue in the shape of the sublimated droplets that indicated the presence of lipids. The differences in the experimental conditions versus those expe

SUBMITTER: Bywaters K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7235855 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature