Spore UV and acceleration resistance of endolithic Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus subtilis isolates obtained from Sonoran desert basalt: implications for lithopanspermia

Bacterial spores have been used as model systems for studying the theory of interplanetary transport of life by natural processes such as asteroidal or cometary impacts (i.e., lithopanspermia). Because current spallation theory predicts that near-surface rocks are ideal candidates for planetary ejection and surface basalts are widely distributed throughout the rocky planets, we isolated spore-forming bacteria from the interior of near-subsurface basalt rocks collected in the Sonoran desert near Tucson, Arizona. Spores were found to inhabit basalt at very low concentrations (相似文献   

Microbial diversity of Indian Ocean hydrothermal vent plumes: microbes tolerant of desiccation, peroxide exposure, and ultraviolet and gamma-irradiation

The microbial diversity of Kali chimney plumes, part of a hydrothermal vent field in the Rodriguez Triple Junction, Indian Ocean (depth approximately 2,240 m), was examined in an attempt to discover "extremotolerant" microorganisms that have evolved unique resistance capabilities to this harsh environment. Water and sediment samples were collected from the vent and from sediments located at various distances (2-20 m) away from and surrounding the chimney. Samples were screened for hypertolerant microbes that are able to withstand multiple stresses. A total of 46 isolates were selected for exposure to a number of perturbations, such as heat shock, desiccation, H(2)O(2), and ultraviolet (UV) and gamma-irradiation. The survival of Psychrobacter sp. L0S3S-03b following exposure to >1,000 J/m(2) UV(254) radiation was particularly intriguing amid a background of varying levels of resistance. Vegetative cells of this non-spore-forming microbe not only survived all of the treatments, but also exhibited a 90% lethal dose of 30 s when exposed to simulated martian UV radiation and a 100% lethal dose of 2 min when exposed to full spectrum UV, which is comparable to findings for bacterial endospores.