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NASA NTRS2016

Modeling pN2 Through Geological Time: Implications for Planetary Climates and Atmospheric Biosignatures

Nitrogen is a major nutrient for all life on Earth and could plausibly play a similar role in extraterrestrial biospheres. The major reservoir of nitrogen at Earth’s surface is atmospheric N2, but recent studies have proposed that the size of this reservoir may have fluctuated significantly over the course of Earth’s history with particularly low levels in the Neoarchean—presumably as a result of biological activity. We used a biogeochemical box model to test which conditions are necessary to cause large swings in atmospheric N2 pressure. Parameters for our model are constrained by observations of modern Earth and reconstructions of biomass burial and oxidative weathering in deep time. A 1-D climate model was used to model potential effects on atmospheric climate. In a second set of tests, we perturbed our box model to investigate which parameters have the greatest impact on the evolution of atmospheric pN2 and consider possible implications for nitrogen cycling on other planets. Our results suggest that (a) a high rate of biomass burial would have been needed in the Archean to draw down atmospheric pN2 to less than half modern levels, (b) the resulting effect on temperature could probably have been compensated by increasing solar luminosity and a mild increase in pCO2, and (c) atmospheric oxygenation could have initiated a stepwise pN2 rebound through oxidative weathering. In general, life appears to be necessary for significant atmospheric pN2 swings on Earth-like planets. Our results further support the idea that an exoplanetary atmosphere rich in both N2 and O2 is a signature of an oxygen-producing biosphere.

Biosignatures↗
NASA NTRS2021

Identifying Molecules as Biosignatures with Assembly Theory and Mass Spectrometry

The search for evidence of life elsewhere in the universe is hard because it is not obvious what signatures are unique to life. Here we postulate that complex molecules found in high abundance are universal biosignatures as they cannot form by chance. To explore this, we developed the first intrinsic measure of molecular complexity that can be experimentally determined, and this is based upon a new approach called assembly theory which gives the molecular assembly number (MA) of a given molecule. MA allows us to compare the intrinsic complexity of molecules using the minimum number of steps required to construct the molecular graph starting from basic objects, and a probabilistic model shows how the probability of any given molecule forming randomly drops dramatically as its MA increases. To map chemical space, we calculated the MA of ca. 2.5 million compounds, and collected data which showed the complexity of a molecule can be experimentally determined by using three independent techniques including infra-red spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and by fragmentation in a mass spectrometer, and this data has an excellent corelation with the values predicted from our assembly theory. We then set out to see if this approach could allow us to identify molecular biosignatures with a set of diverse samples from around the world, outer space, and the laboratory including prebiotic soups. The results show that there is a non-living to living threshold in MA complexity and the higher the MA for a given molecule, the more likely that it had to be produced by a biological process. This work demonstrates it is possible to use this approach to build a life detection instrument that could be deployed on missions to extra-terrestrial locations to detect biosignatures, map the extent of life on Earth, and be used as a molecular complexity scale to quantify the constraints needed to direct prebiotically plausible processes in the laboratory. Such an approach is vital if we are going to find new life elsewhere in the universe or create de-novo life in the lab.

Stuart M Marshall↗
NASA NTRS2001

A Return to Io: Science Goals and Implementation

Io remains one of the most fascinating objects in the solar system: the only place beyond Earth where we can watch hard-rock geology in action. In its high heat flow Io resembles the early Earth, providing a present-day analog to some of the processes that dominated the Earth's geology at the time that life first appeared. Io's usefulness as an early-Earth analog has been underscored recently by the detection of very high eruption temperatures, hotter than terrestrial basaltic lavas. These temperatures are most plausibly interpreted as resulting from ultramafic lava compositions, analagous to the komatiites that were common on Earth in the Precambrian but which have been virtually absent during the Phanerozoic. The large scale of many Io eruptions also provides useful analogs to Phanerozoic terrestrial eruptions, such as flood basalts, which are important for the Earth's geological and biological evolution but which occur too rarely to be witnessed by humans on our own planet. By providing living examples, Io can thus play the same role in understanding large-scale planetary volcanism that volcanically active terrestrial regions have played in understanding the results of smaller-scale volcanic processes seen in the geological record worldwide. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Spencer, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Processes that Drove the Transition from Chemistry to Biology: Concepts and Evidence

Two properties are particularly germane to the transition from chemistry to biology. One is the emergence of complex molecules (polymers) capable of performing non-trivial functions, such as catalysis, energy transduction or transport across cell walls. The other is the ability of several functions to work in concert to provide reproductive advantage to systems hosting these functions. Biological systems exhibit these properties at remarkable levels of efficiency and accuracy in a way that appears effortless. However, dissection of these properties reveals great complexities that are involved. This opens a question: how a simple, ancestral system could have acquired the required properties? Other questions follow. What are the chances that a functional polymer emerges at random? What is the minimum structural complexity of a polymer to carry out a function at a reasonable level of efficiency? Can we identify concrete, protobiologically plausible mechanisms that yield advantageous coupling between different functions? These and similar questions are at the core of the main topic of this session: how soulless chemistry became life? Clearly, we do not have complete answers to any of these questions. However, in recent years a number of new and sometimes unexpected clues have been brought to light. Of particular interest are proteins because they are the main functional polymers in contemporary cells. The emergence of protein functions is a puzzle. It is widely accepted that a well ]defined, compact structure (fold) is a prerequisite for function. It is equally widely accepted that compact folds are rare among random amino acid polymers. Then, how did protein functionality start? According to one hypothesis well folded were preceded by their poorly folded, yet still functional ancestors. Only recently, however, experimental evidence supporting this hypothesis has been presented. In particular, a small enzyme capable of ligating two RNA fragments with the rate of 106 above background was evolved in vitro. This enzyme does not look like any contemporary protein. It is very flexible and its structure is kept together just by a single salt bridge between a charged residue and a coordinating zinc. A similar picture emerges from studies of simple transmembrane channels that mimic those in ancestral cells. Again, they are extremely flexible and do not form a conventional pore. Yet, they efficiently mediate ion transport. Studies on simple proteins that are on-going in several laboratories hold promise of revealing crucial links between chemical and biological catalysis and other ubiquitous cell functions. Interaction between composition, growth and division of protobiologically relevant vesicles and metabolic reactions that they encapsulate is an example of coupling between simple functions that promotes reproduction and evolution. Recent studies have demonstrated possible mechanisms by which vesicles might have evolved their composition from fatty acids to phospholipids, thus facilitating a number of new cellular functions. Conversely, it has been also demonstrated that an encapsulated metabolism might drive vesicle division. These are, again, examples of processes that might have driven the transition from chemistry to biology.

Pohorille, Andrew↗
NASA NTRS1983

The scanning electron microscope as a tool in space biology

Normal erythrocytes are disc-shaped and are referred to here descriptively as discocytes. Several morphologically variant forms occur nomally but in rather small amounts, usually less than one percent of total. It has been shown though, that spiculed variant forms referred to as echinocytes are generated in significant amounts at zero g. Normal red cells have been stressed in vitro in an effort to duplicate the observed discocyte-echinocyte transformation at zero g. The significance of this transformation to extended stay in space and some of the plausible reasons for this transformation are discussed.

Barrett, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Possible prebiotic significance of polyamines in the condensation, protection, encapsulation, and biological properties of DNA

While DNA which has undergone ionic condensation with Co(3+)(NH3)6 is resistant to the action of the endonuclase DNAse I, in much the same way as DNA condensed with spermidine, it was significantly less active in transcription with the E. coli RNA polymerase than DNA-spermidine condensed forms. Although both compacted forms of DNA were more efficiently encapsulated into neutral liposomes, negatively charged liposomes were seldom formed in the presence of the present, positive ion-condensed DNA; spermidine is accordingly proposed as a plausible prebiotic DNA-condensing agent. Attention is given to the relevance of the polyimide-nucleic acids complexes in the evolution of life.

Baeza, Isabel↗
NASA NTRS1998

The Impact of Deviation from Michaelis-Menten Saturation on Mathematical Model Stability Properties

Based on purely abstract ecological theory, it has been argued that a system composed of two or more consumers competing for the same resource cannot persist. By analysis on a Monod format mathematical model, Hubble and others demonstrated that this assertion is true for all but very special cases of such competing organisms which are determined by an index formed by a grouping of. the parameters which characterize the biological processes of the competing organisms. In the laboratory, using a bioreactor, Hansen and Hubble obtained confirmatory results for several cases of two competing species, and they characterized it as "qualitative confirmation" of the assertion. This result is amazing, since the analysis required the exact equality of the hey index, and it seems certain that no pair of organism species could have exactly equal values. It is quite plausible, however, that pairs of organism species could have approximately equal indices, and the question of how different they could be and still have coexistence of the two (or more) presents itself. In this paper, the pursuit of this question and a compatible resolution is presented.

Blackwell, Charles↗
NASA NTRS2022

On the paragenetic modes of minerals: A mineral evolution perspective

A systematic survey of 57 different paragenetic modes distributed among 5659 mineral species reveals patterns in the diversity and distribution of minerals related to their evolving formational environments. The earliest minerals in stellar, nebular, asteroid, and primitive Earth contexts were dominated by relatively abundant chemical elements, notably H, C, O, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Ti, Cr, and Fe. Significant mineral diversification subsequently occurred via two main processes, first through gradual selection and concentration of rarer elements by fluid-rock interactions (for example, in hydrothermal metal deposits, complex granite pegmatites, and agpaitic rocks), and then through near-surface biologically mediated oxidation and weathering. We find that 3349 mineral species (59.2%) are known from only one paragenetic context, whereas another 1372 species (24.2%) are associated with two paragenetic modes. Among the most genetically varied minerals are pyrite, albite, hornblende, corundum, magnetite, calcite, hematite, rutile, and baryte, each with 15 or more known modes of formation. Among the most common paragenetic modes of minerals are near-surface weathering/oxidation (1998 species), subsurface hydrothermal deposition (859 species), and condensation at volcanic fumaroles (459 species). In addition, many species are associated with compositionally extreme environments of highly differentiated igneous lithologies, including agpaitic rocks (726 species), complex granite pegmatites (564 species), and carbonatites and related carbonate-bearing magmas (291 species). Biological processes lead to at least 2707 mineral species, primarily as a consequence of oxidative weathering but also through coal-related and other taphonomic minerals (597 species), as well as anthropogenic minerals, for example as byproducts of mining (603 minerals). However, contrary to previous estimates, we find that only ~34% of mineral species form exclusively as a consequence of biological processes. By far the most significant factor in enhancing Earth’s mineral diversity has been its dynamic hydrological cycle. At least 4583 minerals—81% of all species—arise through water-rock interactions. A timeline for mineral-forming events suggests that much of Earth’s mineral diversity was established within the first 250 million years. If life is rare in the universe, then this view of a mineralogically diverse early Earth provides many more plausible reactive pathways over a longer timespan than previous models. If, however, life is a cosmic imperative that emerges on any mineral- and water-rich world, then these findings support the hypothesis that life on Earth developed rapidly in the early stages of planetary evolution

Robert M. Hazen↗
NASA NTRS1977

On the origin of biological chirality via natural beta-decay

An hypothesis to account for the chirality (handedness) of some biological molecules is given. Experimental evidence suggests that longitudinally polarized electrons having the chirality of terrestrial beta-decay electrons remove dextro-leucine from a racemic mixture. If, by a similar mechanism, the terrestrial environment provided more levo- than dextro-amino acids, that would account for the chirality now observed in organic molecules. An isotope of potassium has been proposed as the natural beta-emitter responsible for biomolecular chirality; however, Carbon 14 may be an even more plausible candidate. Ready availability of the carbon isotope in the terrestrial environment of 4.5 aeons ago, and the role of leucine in protein synthesis indicate that these two agents may have been chief factors in the evolution of biomolecular chirality. Suggestions for further research in this area are made.

Noyes, H. P.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Using Artificial Life to Assess the Typicality of Terrestrial Life: Implications for Human Mission Planetary Protection

The extent to which extraterrestrial life questions can be addressed, in the absence of an actual example, rests in some measure on the extent to which terrestrial life is representative of life in general since we will likely have to draw heavily, if not completely, from terrestrial life research. One example of a practical question involving extraterrestrial life that arises in preparing for a human mission to another planet such as Mars, is trying to assess and minimize the possible adverse effects of the presence of humans on possible indigenous extraterrestrial life-forms. This paper will present some key planetary protection challenges for a human Mars mission and then focus on one possible approach for assessing the extent to which terrestrial life is representative of biological phenomena in general, informing perhaps, the level of confidence we might have in applying terrestrial research - to extraterrestrial life issues. The approach involves appealing to the relatively new field of Artificial Life (A-Life) to: (1) use what might be the most basic minimal set of life-defining characteristics in (2) a large number of open-ended Artificial Life simulations to generate a "life possibility space" (3) the products of which can be examined for their plausibility within the context of relevant constraining knowledge, so that (4) the remaining possibility space can be examined for its variability relative to terrestrial life, where low variability might suggest that terrestrial life is representative of life in general, and high variability would indicate otherwise.

Lupisella, Mark↗
NASA NTRS2015

Dormancy and Recovery Testing for Biological Wastewater Processors

Bioreactors, such as aerated membrane type bioreactors have been proposed and studied for a number of years as an alternate approach for treating wastewater streams for space exploration. Several challenges remain before these types of bioreactors can be used in space settings, including transporting the bioreactors with their microbial communities to space, whether that be the International Space Station or beyond, or procedures for safing the systems and placing them into dormant state for later start-up. Little information is available on such operations as it is not common practice for terrestrial systems. This study explored several dormancy processes for established bioreactors to determine optimal storage and recovery conditions. Procedures focused on complete isolation of the microbial communities from an operational standpoint and observing the effects of: 1) storage temperature, and 2) storage with or without the reactor bulk fluid. The first consideration was tested from a microbial integrity and power consumption standpoint; both room temperature (25 C) and cold (4 C) storage conditions were studied. The second consideration was explored; again, for microbial integrity as well as plausible real-world scenarios of how terrestrially established bioreactors would be transported to microgravity and stored for periods of time between operations. Biofilms were stored without the reactor bulk fluid to simulate transport of established biofilms into microgravity, while biofilms stored with the reactor bulk fluid simulated the most simplistic storage condition to implement operations for extended periods of nonuse. Dormancy condition did not have an influence on recovery in initial studies with immature biofilms (48 days old), however, a lengthy recovery time was required (20+ days). Bioreactors with fully established biofilms (13 months) were able to recover from a 7-month dormancy period to steady state operation within 4 days (approximately 1 residence cycle). Results indicate a need for future testing on biofilm age and health and further exploration of dormancy length.

Dormancy↗
NASA NTRS2015

Dormancy and Recovery Testing for Biological Wastewater Processors

Bioreactors, such as the aerated hollow fiber membrane type, have been proposed and studied for a number of years as an alternate approach for treating wastewater streams for space exploration. Several challenges remain to be resolved before these types of bioreactors can be used in space settings, including transporting the bioreactors with intact and active biofilms, whether that be to the International Space Station or beyond, or procedures for safing the systems and placing them into a dormant state for later start-up. Little information is available on such operations as it is not common practice for terrestrial systems. This study explored several dormancy processes for established bioreactors to determine optimal storage and recovery conditions. Procedures focused on complete isolation of the microbial communities from an operational standpoint and observing the effects of: 1) storage temperature, and 2) storage with or without the reactor bulk fluid. The first consideration was tested from a microbial integrity and power consumption standpoint; both ambient temperature (25 C) and cold (4 C) storage conditions were studied. The second consideration was explored; again, for microbial integrity as well as plausible real-world scenarios of how terrestrially established bioreactors would be transported to microgravity and stored for periods of time between operations. Biofilms were stored without the reactor bulk fluid to simulate transport of established biofilms into microgravity, while biofilms stored with the reactor bulk fluid simulated the most simplistic storage condition to implement operations for extended periods of nonuse. Dormancy condition did not have an influence on recovery in initial studies with immature biofilms (48 days old), however a lengthy recovery time was required (20+ days). Bioreactors with fully established biofilms (13 months) were able to recover from a 7-month dormancy period to steady state operation within 4 days (approx. 1 residence cycle). Results indicate a need for future testing on biofilm age and health and further exploration of dormancy length.

Recovery Testing↗
NASA NTRS2024

Experimentally Modeling the Emergence of Prebiotically Plausible Phospholipid Vesicles

The prebiotic emergence of protocells is an important part of any origins of life scenario. Although fatty-acid-based vesicles are well studied, how they transitioned to phospholipid vesicles is uncertain. Herein, we show that cyclic-phospholipids formed from fatty acids and glycerol could have played a role by generating a heterogeneous library of vesicles with diverse morphologies and tolerance to a range of metal ions, temperature, and pH. The cyclic phosphate moiety facilitates the natural emergence of vesicles composed of diacyl-phospholipids to become part of the chemical evolutionary process. Competing emergent properties of the various systems (facilitated by additives) could have led to an early preference of the sn-1,2-acyl-substitution on the glycerol backbone coincidental with extant biology. Thus, cyclic-phospholipids could have played a significant role not only in early prebiotic protocellular chemistry but also in facilitating the chemical evolution of protocells from the structurally simple to the functionally more complex.

Sunil Pulletikurti↗
NASA NTRS2001

Satellite Ocean Color: Present Status, Future Challenges

We are midway into our 5th consecutive year of nearly continuous, high quality ocean color observations from space. The Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner/Polarization and Directionality of the Earth's Reflectances (OCTS/POLDER: Nov. 1996 - Jun. 1997), the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS: Sep. 1997 - present), and now the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS: Sep. 2000 - present) have and are providing unprecedented views of chlorophyll dynamics on global scales. Global synoptic views of ocean chlorophyll were once a fantasy for ocean color scientists. It took nearly the entire 8-year lifetime of limited Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) observations to compile seasonal climatologies. Now SeaWIFS produces comparably complete fields in about 8 days. For the first time, scientists may observe spatial and temporal variability never before seen in a synoptic context. Even more exciting, we are beginning to plausibly ask questions of interannual variability. We stand at the beginning of long-time time series of ocean color, from which we may begin to ask questions of interdecadal variability and climate change. These are the scientific questions being addressed by users of the 18-year Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer time series with respect to terrestrial processes and ocean temperatures. The nearly 5-year time series of ocean color observations now being constructed, with possibilities of continued observations, can put us at comparable standing with our terrestrial and physical oceanographic colleagues, and enable us to understand how ocean biological processes contribute to, and are affected by global climate change.

Gregg, Watson W.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Radiation Quality Effects on Transcriptome Profiles in 3-d Cultures After Particle Irradiation

In this work, we evaluate the differential effects of low- and high-LET radiation on 3-D organotypic cultures in order to investigate radiation quality impacts on gene expression and cellular responses. Reducing uncertainties in current risk models requires new knowledge on the fundamental differences in biological responses (the so-called radiation quality effects) triggered by heavy ion particle radiation versus low-LET radiation associated with Earth-based exposures. We are utilizing novel 3-D organotypic human tissue models that provide a format for study of human cells within a realistic tissue framework, thereby bridging the gap between 2-D monolayer culture and animal models for risk extrapolation to humans. To identify biological pathway signatures unique to heavy ion particle exposure, functional gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used with whole transcriptome profiling. GSEA has been used extensively as a method to garner biological information in a variety of model systems but has not been commonly used to analyze radiation effects. It is a powerful approach for assessing the functional significance of radiation quality-dependent changes from datasets where the changes are subtle but broad, and where single gene based analysis using rankings of fold-change may not reveal important biological information. We identified 45 statistically significant gene sets at 0.05 q-value cutoff, including 14 gene sets common to gamma and titanium irradiation, 19 gene sets specific to gamma irradiation, and 12 titanium-specific gene sets. Common gene sets largely align with DNA damage, cell cycle, early immune response, and inflammatory cytokine pathway activation. The top gene set enriched for the gamma- and titanium-irradiated samples involved KRAS pathway activation and genes activated in TNF-treated cells, respectively. Another difference noted for the high-LET samples was an apparent enrichment in gene sets involved in cycle cycle/mitotic control. It is plausible that the enrichment in these particular pathways results from the complex DNA damage resulting from high-LET exposure where repair processes are not completed during the same time scale as the less complex damage resulting from low-LET radiation.

Patel, Z. S.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Validation of Global Climatologies of Trace Gases Using NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) Data

Methane is an important trace gas because it is a greenhouse gas that affects the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere. It is produced from biological and anthropogenic sources, and is increasing globally at a rate of approximately 0.6% per year [Climate Change 1992, IPCC]. By using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (NOAA/CMDL) ground station data, a global climatology of methane values was produced. Unfortunately, because the NOAA/CMDL ground stations are so sparse, the global climatology is low resolution. In order to compensate for this low resolution data, it was compared to in-situ flight data obtained from the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE). The smoothed ground station data correlated well with the flight data. Thus, for the first time it is shown that the smoothing process used to make global contours of methane using the ground stations is a plausible way to approximate global atmospheric concentrations of the gas. These verified climatologies can be used for testing large-scale models of chemical production, destruction, and transport. This project develops the groundwork for further research in building global climatologies from sparse ground station data and studying the transport and distribution of trace gases.

Courchaine, Brian↗
NASA NTRS2001

A stochastic differential equation model of diurnal cortisol patterns

Circadian modulation of episodic bursts is recognized as the normal physiological pattern of diurnal variation in plasma cortisol levels. The primary physiological factors underlying these diurnal patterns are the ultradian timing of secretory events, circadian modulation of the amplitude of secretory events, infusion of the hormone from the adrenal gland into the plasma, and clearance of the hormone from the plasma by the liver. Each measured plasma cortisol level has an error arising from the cortisol immunoassay. We demonstrate that all of these three physiological principles can be succinctly summarized in a single stochastic differential equation plus measurement error model and show that physiologically consistent ranges of the model parameters can be determined from published reports. We summarize the model parameters in terms of the multivariate Gaussian probability density and establish the plausibility of the model with a series of simulation studies. Our framework makes possible a sensitivity analysis in which all model parameters are allowed to vary simultaneously. The model offers an approach for simultaneously representing cortisol's ultradian, circadian, and kinetic properties. Our modeling paradigm provides a framework for simulation studies and data analysis that should be readily adaptable to the analysis of other endocrine hormone systems.

NASA Discipline Space Human Factors↗
NASA NTRS1997

A mathematical model of diurnal variations in human plasma melatonin levels

Studies in animals and humans suggest that the diurnal pattern in plasma melatonin levels is due to the hormone's rates of synthesis, circulatory infusion and clearance, circadian control of synthesis onset and offset, environmental lighting conditions, and error in the melatonin immunoassay. A two-dimensional linear differential equation model of the hormone is formulated and is used to analyze plasma melatonin levels in 18 normal healthy male subjects during a constant routine. Recently developed Bayesian statistical procedures are used to incorporate correctly the magnitude of the immunoassay error into the analysis. The estimated parameters [median (range)] were clearance half-life of 23.67 (14.79-59.93) min, synthesis onset time of 2206 (1940-0029), synthesis offset time of 0621 (0246-0817), and maximum N-acetyltransferase activity of 7.17(2.34-17.93) pmol x l(-1) x min(-1). All were in good agreement with values from previous reports. The difference between synthesis offset time and the phase of the core temperature minimum was 1 h 15 min (-4 h 38 min-2 h 43 min). The correlation between synthesis onset and the dim light melatonin onset was 0.93. Our model provides a more physiologically plausible estimate of the melatonin synthesis onset time than that given by the dim light melatonin onset and the first reliable means of estimating the phase of synthesis offset. Our analysis shows that the circadian and pharmacokinetics parameters of melatonin can be reliably estimated from a single model.

NASA Discipline Number 70-10↗