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Related Experiment Videos

Microbial metabolism of tholin.

C R Stoker1, P J Boston, R L Mancinelli

  • 1NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA.

Icarus
|January 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Common soil bacteria can utilize tholins, complex organic molecules found throughout the solar system, as their sole source of carbon and energy. This discovery has implications for early life on Earth and extraterrestrial microbial potential.

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Area of Science:

  • Astrobiology
  • Microbiology
  • Organic Geochemistry

Background:

  • Tholins are complex organic heteropolymers formed from gases like methane, ammonia, and water vapor, potentially widespread in the solar system.
  • Understanding microbial metabolism of extraterrestrial organic compounds is crucial for astrobiology and planetary protection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the capability of common soil bacteria to utilize tholins as a source of carbon and energy.
  • To explore the diversity of bacterial genera capable of tholin metabolism.
  • To assess the potential role of tholins in early Earth ecosystems and extraterrestrial environments.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of aerobic, anaerobic, and facultatively anaerobic bacteria from various soil and sediment samples.
  • Culturing bacteria with tholin as the sole carbon source to determine metabolic capabilities.
Keywords:
NASA Center ARCNASA Discipline ExobiologyNASA Discipline Number 52-20NASA Program ExobiologyNon-NASA Center

Related Experiment Videos

  • Fractionation of tholin into water-soluble, ethanol-soluble, and insoluble components for differential utilization studies.

    • Main Results:

    • A diverse range of bacterial genera, including Clostridium, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus, were found to metabolize tholin.
    • Both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria capable of tholin utilization were isolated from common soils and lake muds.
    • Specific percentages of soil bacteria demonstrated carbon utilization from different tholin fractions, with the water-soluble fraction showing the highest utilization.

    Conclusions:

    • Tholins represent a viable carbon and energy source for a wide array of terrestrial microorganisms.
    • The metabolic versatility of bacteria towards tholins suggests their potential role as a foundational food source for early heterotrophic life on Earth.
    • Tholin-rich environments on other planets could support microbial life, necessitating careful consideration for planetary quarantine protocols.