Beta-carotene-A possible biomarker in the Martian evaporitic environment: Raman micro-spectroscopic study

Planetary and Space Science

Volumn 57, Issue 4, 2009, Pages 454-459

  Vítek, Petr ^a   Osterrothová, Kateřina ^a   Jehlička, Jan ^a  

^a CHARLES UNIVERSITY   (Czech Republic)

Author keywords

Carotene; Biomarker; Mars analog; Raman spectroscopy

Indexed keywords

GYPSUM; MINERALS; OCEAN HABITATS; RAMAN SCATTERING; RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY; SILICA; SILICATE MINERALS; SODIUM CHLORIDE; SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS; SPECTRUM ANALYSIS;

BETA CAROTENES; CONCENTRATION LEVELS; EPSOMITE; EVAPORITES; EXCITATION SOURCES; IN-SITU ANALYSIS; LIVING ORGANISMS; MARS-ANALOG; MARTIAN SURFACES; MATRIXES; MICRO SPECTROSCOPIES; MICROBIAL LIVES; MONOCRYSTAL; NON-DESTRUCTIVE METHODS; RAMAN BANDS; SAMPLE ANALYSIS; SPECTRAL SIGNATURES; SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES;

SULFATE MINERALS;

EID: 63649139924     PISSN: 00320633     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.pss.2008.06.001     Document Type: Article

References (31)

1. Chipera S.J., and Vaniman D.T. Experimental stability of magnesium sulfate hydrates that may be present on Mars. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 71 (2007) 241-250
2. 2O. Astrobiology 3 (2003) 619-630
3. Edwards H.G.M., Wynn-Williams D.D., and Villar S.E.J. Biological modification of haematite in Antarctic cryptoendolithic communities. J. Raman Spectrosc. 35 (2004) 470-474
4. Edwards H.G.M., Moody C.D., Villar S.E.J., and Wynn-Williams D.D. Raman spectroscopic detection of key biomarkers of cyanobacteria and lichen symbiosis in extreme Antarctic habitats: evaluation for Mars Lander missions. Icarus 174 (2005) 560-571
5. Edwards H.G.M., Villar S.E.J., Parnell J., Cockell Ch.S., and Lee P. Raman spectroscopic analysis of cyanobacterial gypsum halotrophs and relevance for sulfate deposits on Mars. Analyst 130 (2005) 917-923
6. Edwards H.G.M., Moody C.D., Villar S.E.J., and Wynn-Williams D.D. Raman spectroscopic detection of key biomarkers of cyanobacteria and lichen symbiosis in extreme Antarctic habitats: evaluation for Mars Lander missions. Icarus 174 (2005) 560-571
7. Gill D., Kilponen R.G., and Rimai L. Resonance Raman scattering of laser radiation by vibrational modes of carotenoid pigment molecules in intact plant tissues. Nature 227 (1970) 743
8. Jehlička J., and Edwards H.G.M. Raman spectroscopy as a tool for the non-destructive identification of organic minerals in the geological record. Org. Geochem. 39 (2008) 371-386
9. Jehlička J., Edwards H.G.M., Villar S.E.J., and Frank O. Raman spectroscopic study of the complex aromatic mineral idrialite. J. Raman Spectrosc. 37 (2006) 771-776
10. Jehlička J., Edwards H.G.M., and Villar S.E.J. Raman spectroscopic study of mellite-A naturally occurring aluminium benzenhexacarboxylate from lignite-claystone series of the tertiary age. Spectrochim. Acta A 65 (2006) 229-234
11. Jehlička, J., Edwards, H.G.M., Vítek, P., 2008. Assessment of Raman spectroscopy as a tool for the non-destructive identification of organic minerals and biomolecules for Mars studies. Planet. Space Sci., doi:10.1016/j.pss.2008.05.005.
12. Litchfield C.D., and Oren A. Polar lipids and pigments as biomarker for the study of the microbial community structure of solar salterns. Hydrobiologia 466 (2001) 81-89
13. Mancinelli R.L., Faulem T.F., Landheim R., and Klovstad M.R. Brines and evaporites: analogs for Martian life. Adv. Space Rev. 33 (2004) 1244-1246
14. Marshall C.P., Leuko S., Coyle C.M., Walter M.R., Burns B.P., and Neilan B.A. Carotenoid analysis of halophilic archaea by resonance Raman spectroscopy. Astrobiology 7 (2007) 631-643
15. Merlin J.C. Resonance Raman spectroscopy of carotenoids and carotenoid-containing systems. Pure Appl. Chem. 57 (1985) 785-792
16. Parnell J., and Baron M. The preservation of fluid inclusions in diverse surface precipitates: the potential for sampling palaeo-water from surface deposits on Mars. Int. J. Astrobiol. 3 (2004) 21-30
17. Patel M.R., Bérces A., Kerékgyárto T., Rontó G., Lammer H., and Zarnecki J.C. Annual solar UV exposure and biological effective dose rates on the Martian surface. Adv. Space Res. 33 (2004) 1247-1252
18. Rothschild L. Earth analogs for Martian life. Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars. Icarus 88 (1990) 246-260
19. Schulz H., Baranska M., and Baranski R. Potential of NIR-FT-Raman spectroscopy in natural carotenoid analysis. Biopolymers 77 (2005) 212-221
20. Schulze-Makuch D., and Irwin L.N. Life in the Universe: Expectations and Constraints (2004), Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg p. 172
21. Simoneit B.R.T. Biomarkers (molecular fossils) as geochemical indicators of life. Adv. Space Res. 33 (2004) 1255-1261
22. Squyres S.W., Grotzinger J.P., Arvidson R.E., Bell III J.F., Calvin W., Christensen P.R., Clark B.C., Crisp J.A., Farrand W.H., Herkenhoff K.E., Johnson J.R., Klingelhöfer G., Knoll A.H., McLennan S.M., McSween Jr. H.Y., Morris R.V., Rice Jr. J.W., Rieder R., and Soderblom L.A. In situ evidence for an ancient aqueous environment at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Science 306 (2004) 1709-1714
23. Vago J., Gardini B., Kminek G., Baglioni P., Gianfiglio G., Santovincenzo A., Bayon S., and van Winnendael M. ExoMars: searching for life on the red planet. ESA Bull.-Eur. Space 126 (2006) 17-23
24. Vaniman D.T., Bish D.L., Chipera S.J., Fialips C.I., Carey J.W., and Feldman W.C. Magnesium sulphate salts and the history of water on Mars. Nature 431 (2004) 663-665
25. Villar S.E.J., and Edwards H.G.M. Raman spectroscopy in astrobiology. Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 384 (2006) 100-113
26. Villar S.E.J., Edwards H.G.M., and Worland M.R. Comparative evaluation of Raman spectroscopy at different wavelengths for extremophile exemplars. Origins Life Evol. B. 35 (2005) 489-506
27. Wang A., Haskin L.A., Squyres S.W., Jolliff B.L., Crumpler L., Gellert R., Schroder C., Herkenhoff K., Hurowitz J., Tosca N.J., Farrand W.H., Anderson R., and Knudson A.T. Sulfate deposition in subsurface regolith in Gusev crater, Mars. J. Geophys. Res.-Planet 111 (2006) (No. E02S17)
28. Wierzchos J., Ascaso C., and McKay C.P. Endolithic cyanobacteria in halite rocks from the hyperarid core of the Atacama desert. Astrobiology 6 (2006) 415-422
29. Withnall R., Chowdhry B.Z., Silver J., Edwards H.G.M., and de Oliveira L.F.C. Raman spectra of carotenoids in natural products. Spectrochim. Acta A 59 (2003) 2207-2212
30. Wynn-Williams D.D., and Edwards H.G.M. Proximal analysis of regolith habitats and protective biomolecules in situ by laser Raman spectroscopy: overview of terrestrial Antarctic habitats and Mars analogs. Icarus 144 (2000) 486-503
31. Wynn-Williams D.D., and Edwards H.G.M. Antarctic ecosystems as models for extraterrestrial surface habitats. Planet. Space Sci. 48 (2000) 1065-1075