Seeding Biochemistry on Other Worlds: Enceladus as a Case Study

Area of Science:

• Astrobiology
• Planetary Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Robotic exploration of the Solar System is expanding, increasing the search for extraterrestrial life.
• Astrobiologists need quantitative frameworks to assess the biochemical potential of alien environments.
• Predicting life's viability and biosignatures requires understanding accessible chemical spaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a framework for quantitatively assessing biochemical space accessibility in extraterrestrial environments.
• To guide future mission planning for life detection and synthetic biology.
• To identify potential biosignatures and necessary precursors for life.

Main Methods:

• Combining observational data from planetary missions with Earth's genomic data.
• Utilizing network theory for computational analysis of biochemical networks.
• Seeding 307 Earth-derived biochemical networks with molecules found on Enceladus.

Main Results:

• Determined which Earth biochemical products are theoretically reachable from Enceladus's compounds.
• Assessed the variation in reachable biochemistry across different scales of Earth life.
• Identified missing precursor compounds crucial for enabling biochemistry in specific environments.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework maps potential targets for detecting Earth-like life on Enceladus.
• The study highlights targets for synthetic biology to potentially seed life on Enceladus.
• Identified environmental precursors can prioritize targets for future astrobiological missions.