Posted on 12/03/2010 7:29:15 AM PST by <1/1,000,000th%
NASA-supported researchers have discovered the first known microorganism on Earth able to thrive and reproduce using the toxic chemical arsenic. The microorganism, which lives in California's Mono Lake, substitutes arsenic for phosphorus in the backbone of its DNA and other cellular components.
(Excerpt) Read more at science.nasa.gov ...
Saw that years ago at a local theater....delightful...
Admittedly, I haven’t followed this very closely, but did this “bug” come from outer space...if not, why is it in the realm of NASA, and where did they find it?
The newly discovered microbe, strain GFAJ-1, is a member of a common group of bacteria, the Gammaproteobacteria. In the laboratory, the researchers successfully grew microbes from the lake on a diet that was very lean on phosphorus, but included generous helpings of arsenic. When researchers removed the phosphorus and replaced it with arsenic the microbes continued to grow. Subsequent analyses indicated that the arsenic was being used to produce the building blocks of new GFAJ-1 cells
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Did they instigate an adaptation? Seems to me that they could have.
For but one example, is it safe to bring back samples from Venus, or is there any chance that it would bring "Andromeda Strain" pathogens?
Thallium's pretty bad too.
To get any nastier, you've got to go to the radioactive elements, and in those cases you'd really have to say that the nucleus of the atom is "nasty."
Well, I guess that's not true. Plutonium, for example, is chemically and radiologically poisonous. It's electrons say, "yeah, we're nasty, but if you really want nasty, check out what's under us."
“Did they instigate an adaptation? Seems to me that they could have.”
As stated in the movie Jurassic Park, Life finds a way.
OK, scrap every CA environmental regulation on the books. Years of smoking dope and munching on same-sex partners have given residents of CA the ability to thrive on toxic substances!
“Admittedly, I haven’t followed this very closely, but did this “bug” come from outer space...if not, why is it in the realm of NASA, and where did they find it?”
It’s not from outer space. What they found was an organism that when limited for phosphorous (needed for DNA replication), the microbe could use arsenic as a substitute. Phosphorous and arsenic are closely related and its not uncommon to find enzymes that can substitute one element for another. This is just the first time such a substitution has been found for the DNA molecule.
Wednesday, January 31, 2001, 22:21 GMT
Fern eats up arsenic
Pteris vittata Nature/Ma
The arsenic builds up in the leaves of the plant Scientists have discovered a fern that thrives on arsenic.
They suggest the plant, (Pteris vittata), could be used to clean up land and water that has been contaminated with the toxic element or its compounds.
Dr Lena Ma, of the University of Florida, US, and colleagues found the brake fern growing on a disused wood-preservation site that had been poisoned with arsenic.
Of course. All they've shown is that life is far more adaptable than 'they' had previously thought.
The fundamental error is assuming that the observed adaptation extrapolated backward in time is responsible for creating the system (biology) that produces the effect.
Hard to recognize that error when you assume that life evolved from non-life 'a priori'.
The government is working on starting a new agency to deal with the 'environment' of microbes. New Anti-Arsenic-Addict (AAA) clinics will be set up all over the globe, to help addicted Microbes.
If not stopped, an epidemic could occur killing billions.
Thank you for writing that.
One glance at the periodic table shows us that As is right below P.
“Life” (and the chemistry at its roots) often makes this kind of substitution, sometimes on demand.
“We” have long known of bacteria that (in need of a hydrogen acceptor) swap from using oxygen to sulfur when encountering an aerobic or anaerobic environment. (Think of the smell of low tide).
Similarly ... One of the reasons that scientists and science fiction writers surmise we will encounter a silicon-based life form is that, again, Si is right below C on the periodic table of the elements, and PERHAPS under the right environmental conditions “life” could be Si based.
This is an interesting find, but NOT an alien life form find.
LOL!
That is interesting.
If a plant can do it, seems like it should be easier for a microbe.
It's something new to catalog that wasn't observed before.
It's a long held assumption in biology that chemically equivalent elements can replace each other. It's a good idea to document actual existing examples.
LOL!
Women and children hardest hit!
How are we certain that this arsenic loving organism isn’t another Antarctic Martian rock?
"It's a long held assumption in biology that chemically equivalent elements can replace each other. It's a good idea to document actual existing examples."
The fundamental error is assuming that the observed adaptation extrapolated backward in time is responsible for creating the system (biology) that produces the effect.
Hard to recognize that error when you assume that life evolved from non-life 'a priori'.
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