Vitreous Magnesium Sulfate Hydrate as a Potential Mechanism for Preservation of Microbial Viability on Europa

Abstract

Europa's subsurface ocean is postulated to contain appreciable amounts of Mg2+ and SO 4 2 − ions, among other species. Recent laboratory experiments have shown that when solutions containing these species freeze to Europa-relevant temperatures, they can form vitreous MgSO4 hydrate, which can remain stable at these temperatures. Since vitreous phases can protect cells from physical damage that can occur during crystallization, their presence on Europa could potentially preserve entrained microorganisms from the ocean below. However, to date, it remains unclear whether such materials actually impact microbial survival. In this work, experiments were performed in which the motile nonspore-forming Antarctic isolate Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis in solutions of 0.1 M MgSO4 were frozen to Europa surface temperatures (100 K) under conditions that resulted in the formation of either vitreous or crystalline salt hydrates. We found that cells survived in both cases, exhibiting a 3-log reduction in viable cells in the crystalline salt hydrate case while only a 1.5-log reduction in the vitreous salt hydrate case. Scanning electron microscopy accordingly showed much higher degrees of membrane lysis and cellular damage in the crystalline salt hydrate than the vitreous case. Our results demonstrate the ability of a terrestrial oceanic microorganism to survive in MgSO4 solutions frozen to Europa surface temperatures, with enhanced viability in vitreous salt-hydrate-producing conditions versus crystalline. These findings suggest that future missions should target vitrified salt-rich environments for life detection due to this potential for preserving viable microorganisms that may be present and trapped in ocean world ices.

Amino Acid-Mediated Formation of CO2 in Flash-Frozen Ceres Brines

“…Observations by Dawn have found that these deposits are made of salt minerals that are consistent with aqueous alteration of chondritic materials (such as sodium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate/chloride, and hydrohalite) and are likely formed from the extrusion of briny water through fractures created by impacts and/or cryovolcanism. The discovery of salts holds important implications for Ceres’ astrobiological potential, since they have been known to be an effective medium for encapsulating extraterrestrial organic matter (e.g., inside meteoritic clasts), as well as preserving the viability of microorganisms under simulated ocean world environments …”

“…The discovery of salts holds important implications for Ceres' astrobiological potential, since they have been known to be an effective medium for encapsulating extraterrestrial organic matter (e.g., inside meteoritic clasts), 6 as well as preserving the viability of microorganisms under simulated ocean world environments. 7 In recent years, data returned by the Visible and Infrared (VIR) mapping spectrometer onboard the Dawn spacecraft have also revealed the presence of localized organic-rich areas on Ceres' surface. These were first detected 8 in the regions around the large Ernutet crater in the northern hemisphere, spreading over hundreds of square kilometers with an estimated abundance of ∼5 to 15 vol % depending on the end-members used for spectral modeling.…”