Microbial growth at hyperaccelerations up to 403,627 × g

Abstract

It is well known that prokaryotic life can withstand extremes of temperature, pH, pressure, and radiation. Little is known about the proliferation of prokaryotic life under conditions of hyperacceleration attributable to extreme gravity, however. We found that living organisms can be surprisingly proliferative during hyperacceleration. In tests reported here, a variety of microorganisms, including Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Paracoccus denitrificans, and Shewanella amazonensis; Gram-positive Lactobacillus delbrueckii; and eukaryotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae, were cultured while being subjected to hyperaccelerative conditions. We observed and quantified robust cellular growth in these cultures across a wide range of hyperacceleration values. Most notably, the organisms P. denitrificans and E. coli were able to proliferate even at 403,627 × g. Analysis shows that the small size of prokaryotic cells is essential for their proliferation under conditions of hyperacceleration. Our results indicate that microorganisms cannot only survive during hyperacceleration but can display such robust proliferative behavior that the habitability of extraterrestrial environments must not be limited by gravity.astrobiology | extremophiles

Scaling of Total Metabolic, Gravitational and Heat Energy of Living Organisms, Earth and Sun

“…Although their total metabolic energy is hundred of thousands times smaller than their gravitational energy, they are appeared and lived for a billions years ago under the influence of the Earth gravitation without significant changes in their cellular characteristics. Actually, in the scientific literature predominates the concept, that the Unicellular organisms are not presumed to be gravity sensing [21,22,23]. The experiments on growth of Unicellular on hypergravity and microgravity conditions confirm this concept.…”

“…The experiments on growth of Unicellular on hypergravity and microgravity conditions confirm this concept. The study of Deguchi et al [23] showed that microbial growth is possible up to hyperaccelerations ~10 5 ×g (g=9.8 m/s 2 ). The small hyperacceleration to about ~10×g can not affect growth of Gram-negative prokaryotes (E. coli, Paracoccus denitrificans, Shewanella amazonensis) and Gram-positive prokaryotes (Lactobacillus delbrueckii).…”

Drug discovery and development: the final frontier

“…Escherichia coli and another Gram‐negative bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans can proliferate even at 403,627 times the force of gravity. The Gram‐positive bacterium Lactobacillus delbrueckii (used to make yoghurt) and the unicellular fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Baker's yeast) proliferated at 22,505 times the force of gravity . Hypergravity reduced proliferation.…”

Molecular Evolution of Extremophiles

“…The bacteria were cultured after being rotated in an ultracentrifuge at a high speed: 403,627 × g. Analysis showed that the small size of prokaryotic cells is essential for successful growth under hypergravity. This research implicates the feasibility of panspermia (Deguchi et al, 2011). …”