date: 2021-11-15T11:56:38Z
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pdf:docinfo:title: Physicochemical Parameters Limiting Growth of Debaryomyces hansenii in Solutions of Hygroscopic Compounds and Their Effects on the Habitability of Martian Brines
xmp:CreatorTool: LaTeX with hyperref
Keywords: Mars; brines; salts; microorganisms; halotolerance; yeast; microbial growth; water activity; chaotropicity
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subject: The availability of liquid water is a prerequisite for all lifeforms on Earth. In hyperarid subzero environments like the Dry Valleys in Antarctica or the near-subsurface of Mars liquid water might be provided temporarily by hygroscopic substances that absorb water from the atmosphere and lower the freezing point of water. To evaluate the potential of hygroscopic compounds to serve as a habitat, it is necessary to explore the microbial tolerances towards these substances and their life-limiting properties. Here we present a study investigating the tolerances of the halotolerant yeast Debaryomyces hansenii to various solutes. Growth experiments were conducted via counting colony forming units (CFUs) after inoculation of a liquid growth medium containing a specific solute concentration. The lowest water activities (aw) enabling growth were determined to be ~0.83 in glycerol and fructose-rich media. For all other solutes the growth-enabling aw was higher, due to additional stress factors such as chaotropicity and ionic strength. Additionally, we found that the solute tolerances of D. hansenii correlate with both the eutectic freezing point depressions and the deliquescence relative humidities of the respective solutes. Our findings strongly impact our understanding of the habitability of solute-rich low aw environments on Earth and beyond.
dc:creator: Jacob Heinz, Vita Rambags and Dirk Schulze-Makuch
dcterms:created: 2021-11-10T11:17:58Z
Last-Modified: 2021-11-15T11:56:38Z
dcterms:modified: 2021-11-15T11:56:38Z
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title: Physicochemical Parameters Limiting Growth of Debaryomyces hansenii in Solutions of Hygroscopic Compounds and Their Effects on the Habitability of Martian Brines
Last-Save-Date: 2021-11-15T11:56:38Z
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pdf:docinfo:keywords: Mars; brines; salts; microorganisms; halotolerance; yeast; microbial growth; water activity; chaotropicity
pdf:docinfo:modified: 2021-11-15T11:56:38Z
meta:save-date: 2021-11-15T11:56:38Z
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dc:title: Physicochemical Parameters Limiting Growth of Debaryomyces hansenii in Solutions of Hygroscopic Compounds and Their Effects on the Habitability of Martian Brines
modified: 2021-11-15T11:56:38Z
cp:subject: The availability of liquid water is a prerequisite for all lifeforms on Earth. In hyperarid subzero environments like the Dry Valleys in Antarctica or the near-subsurface of Mars liquid water might be provided temporarily by hygroscopic substances that absorb water from the atmosphere and lower the freezing point of water. To evaluate the potential of hygroscopic compounds to serve as a habitat, it is necessary to explore the microbial tolerances towards these substances and their life-limiting properties. Here we present a study investigating the tolerances of the halotolerant yeast Debaryomyces hansenii to various solutes. Growth experiments were conducted via counting colony forming units (CFUs) after inoculation of a liquid growth medium containing a specific solute concentration. The lowest water activities (aw) enabling growth were determined to be ~0.83 in glycerol and fructose-rich media. For all other solutes the growth-enabling aw was higher, due to additional stress factors such as chaotropicity and ionic strength. Additionally, we found that the solute tolerances of D. hansenii correlate with both the eutectic freezing point depressions and the deliquescence relative humidities of the respective solutes. Our findings strongly impact our understanding of the habitability of solute-rich low aw environments on Earth and beyond.
pdf:docinfo:subject: The availability of liquid water is a prerequisite for all lifeforms on Earth. In hyperarid subzero environments like the Dry Valleys in Antarctica or the near-subsurface of Mars liquid water might be provided temporarily by hygroscopic substances that absorb water from the atmosphere and lower the freezing point of water. To evaluate the potential of hygroscopic compounds to serve as a habitat, it is necessary to explore the microbial tolerances towards these substances and their life-limiting properties. Here we present a study investigating the tolerances of the halotolerant yeast Debaryomyces hansenii to various solutes. Growth experiments were conducted via counting colony forming units (CFUs) after inoculation of a liquid growth medium containing a specific solute concentration. The lowest water activities (aw) enabling growth were determined to be ~0.83 in glycerol and fructose-rich media. For all other solutes the growth-enabling aw was higher, due to additional stress factors such as chaotropicity and ionic strength. Additionally, we found that the solute tolerances of D. hansenii correlate with both the eutectic freezing point depressions and the deliquescence relative humidities of the respective solutes. Our findings strongly impact our understanding of the habitability of solute-rich low aw environments on Earth and beyond.
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pdf:docinfo:creator: Jacob Heinz, Vita Rambags and Dirk Schulze-Makuch
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creator: Jacob Heinz, Vita Rambags and Dirk Schulze-Makuch
meta:author: Jacob Heinz, Vita Rambags and Dirk Schulze-Makuch
dc:subject: Mars; brines; salts; microorganisms; halotolerance; yeast; microbial growth; water activity; chaotropicity
meta:creation-date: 2021-11-10T11:17:58Z
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meta:keyword: Mars; brines; salts; microorganisms; halotolerance; yeast; microbial growth; water activity; chaotropicity
Author: Jacob Heinz, Vita Rambags and Dirk Schulze-Makuch
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