NAI
2006 Annual Science Report
Michigan State University
Reporting | JUL 2005 – JUN 2006
Executive Summary
Low temperature is a predominant environmental characteristic of interstellar space, asteroids, comets, and of course, our solar system, including most of the planets and their satellites. An understanding of the impacts that low temperature has on the responses and evolution of biological organisms is, therefore, integral to our knowledge of Astrobiology. Toward this end, we are exploring multiple aspects of microbial adaptation to low temperature. The basic objectives of one line of investigation—Genomic Analysis of Permafrost Bacteria—include identifying genes and proteins that enable Arctic and Antarctic permafrost bacteria to inhabit subfreezing environments. These studies include determining how gene expression in permafrost bacteria is affected by low temperature and other environmental conditions associated with the permafrost as well as conditions that “hitchhiker” bacteria might encounter during travel through space on natural objects or spacecraft. In a second line of investigation—Bacterial Adaptation to Low Temperature—we are directly ... Continue reading.
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Michael Thomashow
NAI, ASTEP, ASTID, Exobiology -
TEAM Active Dates:
7/2001 - 6/2006 CAN 2 -
Members:
24 (See All) - Visit Team Page
Project Reports
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Proteomes of Permafrost Bacteria
It is crucial to examine the physiological processes of psychrophiles at temperatures below 4°C to facilitate extrapolation of laboratory results to in situ activity
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.3 6.2 -
Indigenous Bacteria of Arctic and Antarctic Permafrost
Our previous studies resulted in the isolation of several strains of Exiguobacterium and Psychrobacter from Siberian permafrost, suggesting that these species are abundant in this environment.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.1 5.3 6.2 -
Transcriptomes of Permafrost Bacteria
Cold temperatures, low water activity, and low nutrient availability are biological stressors for microbes residing in permafrosts. Psychrobacter arcticus 273-4 was isolated after inhabiting Kolyma permafrosts for 10,000-40,000 yr.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.1 5.3 7.2 -
Genomics of the Permafrost Isolate Exigubacterium Sibiricum
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.1 5.3 -
Genetic Systems for Psychrobacter
A major goal of our research team is to identify genes that enable bacteria to inhabit the permafrost environment. To accomplish this, need to develop genetic systems to mutagenize and manipulate the genomes of our permafrost isolates.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.1 5.3 6.2 -
Genomes of Permafrost Bacteria: Psychrobacter Isolates
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.1 5.3 6.2 -
Understanding How Psychrobacter Sp. 273-4 Is Able to Live in Siberian Permafrost
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.2 5.3
Publications
- There are no publications for this team in the 2006 annual report.
2006 Teams
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Carnegie Institution of Washington
Indiana University, Bloomington
Marine Biological Laboratory
Michigan State University
NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Goddard Space Flight 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 Washington
Virtual Planetary Laboratory (JPL/CalTech)