The Deep Rocky Biosphere: New Geomicrobiological Insights and Prospects.

Autor: Takamiya H; Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan., Kouduka M; Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan., Suzuki Y; Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Frontiers in microbiology [Front Microbiol] 2021 Nov 30; Vol. 12, pp. 785743. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Nov 30 (Print Publication: 2021).
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.785743
Abstrakt: Rocks that react with liquid water are widespread but spatiotemporally limited throughout the solar system, except for Earth. Rock-forming minerals with high iron content and accessory minerals with high amounts of radioactive elements are essential to support rock-hosted microbial life by supplying organics, molecular hydrogen, and/or oxidants. Recent technological advances have broadened our understanding of the rocky biosphere, where microbial inhabitation appears to be difficult without nutrient and energy inputs from minerals. In particular, microbial proliferation in igneous rock basements has been revealed using innovative geomicrobiological techniques. These recent findings have dramatically changed our perspective on the nature and the extent of microbial life in the rocky biosphere, microbial interactions with minerals, and the influence of external factors on habitability. This study aimed to gather information from scientific and/or technological innovations, such as omics-based and single-cell level characterizations, targeting deep rocky habitats of organisms with minimal dependence on photosynthesis. By synthesizing pieces of rock-hosted life, we can explore the evo-phylogeny and ecophysiology of microbial life on Earth and the life's potential on other planetary bodies.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2021 Takamiya, Kouduka and Suzuki.)
Databáze: MEDLINE