Projectupdate: MEXEM - Can anaerobes survive an exposure to martian conditions?

Kurzfassung

What is it all about? Hypothesis: Extremotolerant anaerobic microbial isolates / communities from Mars analogue/ extreme environments are more tolerant to combined Mars relevant stress conditions. Organisms: Bacteria and Archaea, but also ciliates and viruses will be analyzed. Artificially fossilized microorganisms will be examined and assessed with respect to their suitability for biosignature identification. Current experiments: Organisms were exposed to cell damaging conditions (e.g. desiccation, radiation). Conditions should mimic the situation on nowadays conditions of Mars. Space experiment: Passive exposure experiment outside on the ISS.