NAI
2004 Annual Science Report
Marine Biological Laboratory
Reporting | JUL 2003 – JUN 2004
Executive Summary
From Early Biospheric
Metabolisms to the Evolution of Complex Systems
Early life forms:
One central theme in Astrobiology is to investigate how
ancient life forms influenced early Earth with reference to the formation of
habitats capable of supporting complex biological communities and
multi-cellular organisms. Based upon what we know about Earth’s
2.2-3.5-billion-year evolutionary history, microbial organisms were its sole
inhabitants until the origins of plants and animals, a mere 560—900 million
years ago. The general goal of the Astrobiology Program at the Marine
Biological Laboratory (MBL) is to investigate early evolving metabolisms and
activities that had the potential to reshape planetary environments, and to
understand the evolution of genome architecture that led to more complicated
life forms. These studies contribute to flight-related missions through the
development of life detection technologies and design of models for remote
sensing of bio-signatures. Many of our projects ... Continue reading.
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Mitchell Sogin
NAI, ASTEP, ASTID, Exobiology -
TEAM Active Dates:
7/1998 - 10/2003 CAN 1 -
Members:
30 (See All) - Visit Team Page
Project Reports
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Searching for Ancestral Sequences
A major objective of Astrobiology is to search for signs of life in the Solar System and beyond. While remote sensing of biological signatures is a major target for identifying promising sites for future missions, direct analysis of samples for the presence of biomarkers of interest will continue to be an important area for technology development.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 7.1 7.2 -
Iron Oxidation – Shaping the Past and Present Environments
The principal objective of our project is to develop a better understanding of the fundamental biology of microbial iron (Fe) oxidation at neutral pH. Though the capacity for Fe oxidation is likely an ancient metabolic pathway, it is to date the least well understood among the major microbial metabolisms
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 4.1 -
Diversity and Physiology of Prokaryotes in Selected Thermophilic and Mesophilic Environments in Selected Hydrothermal Vents and Subsurface Environments
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 4.1 5.1 5.2 5.3 -
Evolution of Proteins
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.2 3.4 5.1 -
Genes That Regulate Photosymbiotic Interactions
This project focused on recovering and identifying genes expressed in photosymbiotic relationships of planktonic sarcodines. Genes involved with symbiont identification, acquisition, and symbiosis maintenance were of particular interest.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 4.2 5.1 5.2 -
Genome-Genome Integration: Symbiosis, Genetic Assimilation, and Evolutionary Innovation
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 4.2 5.1 5.2 6.2 -
Microbial Diversity and Population Structure Studies in the Rio Tinto
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.1 5.2 5.3 -
Microbial Symbionts: Agents for Reorganizing Genome Architectures.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 4.2 5.1 5.2 6.2 -
Recognition of Theoretical Environments on Mars
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 2.1 7.1 -
SARST-V 6 Development
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.1 5.2 -
The Evolution and Diversity of Ancient CO2-fixation Pathways in Anaerobic and Extremophilic Microorganisms: Clues to the Early Evolution of Life on Earth
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.2 4.1
Publications
- There are no publications for this team in the 2004 annual report.
2004 Teams
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Arizona State University
Carnegie Institution of Washington
Harvard University
Indiana University, Bloomington
Marine Biological Laboratory
Michigan State University
NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Johnson Space Center
Pennsylvania State University
SETI Institute
University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Hawaii, Manoa
University of Rhode Island
University of Washington
Virtual Planetary Laboratory (JPL/CalTech)