From Microorganisms to Biosignatures: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Sample Preparation Technique for Future Life Detection Missions
Abstract Amino acids are important targets in the search for life beyond Earth. The types of amino acids, their relative abundances, and enantiomeric excess all serve as biosignatures. To detect such biosignatures, identification and quantification of individual amino acids are required. Regardless...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098082 |
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| author | Zuzana Cieslarova Aaron C. Noell Peter A. Willis Maria F. Mora |
| author_facet | Zuzana Cieslarova Aaron C. Noell Peter A. Willis Maria F. Mora |
| author_sort | Zuzana Cieslarova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Amino acids are important targets in the search for life beyond Earth. The types of amino acids, their relative abundances, and enantiomeric excess all serve as biosignatures. To detect such biosignatures, identification and quantification of individual amino acids are required. Regardless of the analytical workflow used, it is critical to release amino acids from the sample without altering their molecular distributions. Subcritical water extraction (SCWE) is a promising technique for the release of organics from a variety of samples that has been under development for flight implementation for over 20 years. However, there is a risk of racemization and/or degradation of amino acids during extraction that could alter their distributions. This work demonstrates for the first time that SCWE (200°C for 30 min) can release amino acids from bacterial cells and spores, while maintaining their native distributions and enantiomeric excess. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-562327e2b20b4761b00fb11475e4ff1e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-562327e2b20b4761b00fb11475e4ff1e2025-01-22T14:38:16ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072022-06-014912n/an/a10.1029/2022GL098082From Microorganisms to Biosignatures: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Sample Preparation Technique for Future Life Detection MissionsZuzana Cieslarova0Aaron C. Noell1Peter A. Willis2Maria F. Mora3Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USAJet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USAJet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USAJet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USAAbstract Amino acids are important targets in the search for life beyond Earth. The types of amino acids, their relative abundances, and enantiomeric excess all serve as biosignatures. To detect such biosignatures, identification and quantification of individual amino acids are required. Regardless of the analytical workflow used, it is critical to release amino acids from the sample without altering their molecular distributions. Subcritical water extraction (SCWE) is a promising technique for the release of organics from a variety of samples that has been under development for flight implementation for over 20 years. However, there is a risk of racemization and/or degradation of amino acids during extraction that could alter their distributions. This work demonstrates for the first time that SCWE (200°C for 30 min) can release amino acids from bacterial cells and spores, while maintaining their native distributions and enantiomeric excess.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098082amino acidscapillary electrophoresisbiosignaturesastrobiologyorganic analysis |
| spellingShingle | Zuzana Cieslarova Aaron C. Noell Peter A. Willis Maria F. Mora From Microorganisms to Biosignatures: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Sample Preparation Technique for Future Life Detection Missions Geophysical Research Letters amino acids capillary electrophoresis biosignatures astrobiology organic analysis |
| title | From Microorganisms to Biosignatures: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Sample Preparation Technique for Future Life Detection Missions |
| title_full | From Microorganisms to Biosignatures: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Sample Preparation Technique for Future Life Detection Missions |
| title_fullStr | From Microorganisms to Biosignatures: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Sample Preparation Technique for Future Life Detection Missions |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Microorganisms to Biosignatures: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Sample Preparation Technique for Future Life Detection Missions |
| title_short | From Microorganisms to Biosignatures: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Sample Preparation Technique for Future Life Detection Missions |
| title_sort | from microorganisms to biosignatures subcritical water extraction as a sample preparation technique for future life detection missions |
| topic | amino acids capillary electrophoresis biosignatures astrobiology organic analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098082 |
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