Where meteorites rained down on Earth billions of years ago, were they food for early life on Earth? These rocks brought carbon, iron, sulphur, and other nutrients to Earth’s surface. This project seeks to understand how bacteria and fungi work together to break down meteorites (which are largely basalt rock), and use them as an energy source. We are interested in what biomolecular pathways are used by microbes on these unique, pristine rocks.
In addition, as we return samples from near-by asteroids and other planets to Earth for study, like the OSIRIS-REx mission that recently returned samples from asteroid Bennu, we must preserve those samples from microbial contamination, and understand what changes occur in the rock when they are contaminated by Earthling microbes. This study is focused on what happens if common groups of microbes come into contact with extraterrestrial materials, and if quorum sensing plays a role in the breakdown of extraterrestrial rock.
Last, as we begin to establish permanent bases on the Moon and Mars, there will be a need to use the resources available on the Moon and Mars, including the regolith. Bio-mining, which uses microbes to extract important minerals and elements from rocks, can be used on the Moon and Mars, and may be one avenue to create sustainable systems. We are interested in understanding how microbial consortia from volcanic environments can help in this process.
