Terraforming: synthetic biology’s final frontier

Sleator, Roy D.; Smith, Niall

doi:10.1007/s00203-019-01651-x

Commentary
Published: 30 March 2019

Terraforming: synthetic biology’s final frontier

Archives of Microbiology volume 201, pages 855–862 (2019)Cite this article

2088 Accesses
4 Citations
3 Altmetric
Metrics details

Abstract

Synthetic biology, the design and synthesis of synthetic biological systems from DNA to whole cells, has provided us with the ultimate tools for space exploration and colonisation. Herein, we explore some of the most significant advances and future prospects in the field of synthetic biology, in the context of astrobiology and terraforming.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

Abe Y, Abe-Ouchi A, Sleep NH, Zahnle KJ (2011) Habitable zone limits for dry planets. Astrobiology 11:443–460. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2010.0545
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Abelson PH (1977) The voyager missions. Science 197:1039. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.197.4308.1039
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Agapov AA, Kulbachinskiy AV (2015) Mechanisms of stress resistance and gene regulation in the radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans. Biochemistry (Moscow) 80(10):1201–1216
Article CAS Google Scholar
Averner MM, MacElroy RD (1976) On the habitability of Mars: an approach to planetary ecosynthesis. NASA Special publication 414. Scientific and Technical Information Office, National Aeronautics and Space Agency, Washington, DC
Benson DA et al (2018) GenBank. Nucleic Acids Res 46:D41–D47. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkx1094
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Cassan A et al (2012) One or more bound planets per Milky Way star from microlensing observations. Nature 481:167–169. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10684
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Church G (2013) Please reanimate. Sci Am 309:12
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Church GM, Gao Y, Kosuri S (2012) Next-generation digital information storage in DNA. Science 337:1628. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1226355
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Cockell CS et al (2000) The ultraviolet environment of Mars: biological implications past, present, and future. Icarus 146:343–359
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Crick FHC, Orgel LE (1973) Directed panspermia. Icarus 19:341–346
Article Google Scholar
Dien VT, Morris SE, Karadeema RJ, Romesberg FE (2018) Expansion of the genetic code via expansion of the genetic alphabet. Curr Opin Chem Biol 46:196–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.08.009
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Friedmann EI, Ocampo-Friedmann R (1995) A primitive cyanobacterium as pioneer microorganism for terraforming Mars. Adv Space Res 15:243–246
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Friedmann EI, Hua M, Ocampo-Friedmann R (1993) Terraforming Mars: dissolution of carbonate rocks by cyanobacteria. J Br Interplanet Soc 46:291–292
CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Gambino M (2012) What Is on Voyager’s Golden Record? https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-is-on-voyagers-golden-record-73063839/. Accessed 28 Mar 2019
Gillon M et al (2017) Seven temperate terrestrial planets around the nearby ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1. Nature 542:456–460. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21360
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Goldman N et al (2013) Towards practical, high-capacity, low-maintenance information storage in synthesized DNA. Nature 494:77–80. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11875
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Graham JM (2004) The biological terraforming of Mars: planetary ecosynthesis as ecological succession on a global scale. Astrobiology 4:168–195. https://doi.org/10.1089/153110704323175133
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Gros C (2016) Developing ecospheres on transiently habitable planets: the genesis project. Astrophys Space Sci 361:324
Article Google Scholar
Hand E (2008) Mars exploration: Phoenix: a race against time. Nature 456:690–695. https://doi.org/10.1038/456690a
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Haynes RH, McKay CP (1992) The implantation of life on Mars: feasibility and motivation. Adv Space Res 12:133–140
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Hegerl GC, Bronnimann S, Schurer A, Cowan T (2018) The early 20th century warming: anomalies, causes, and consequences. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Clim Change 9:e522. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.522
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Hess SL et al (1976) Mars climatology from viking 1 after 20 sols. Science 194:78–81. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.194.4260.78
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Hoshika S et al (2019) Hachimoji DNA and RNA: a genetic system with eight building blocks. Science 363:884–887. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat0971
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Hutchison CA 3rd et al (2016) Design and synthesis of a minimal bacterial genome. Science 351:aad6253. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aad6253
Ilic O, Went CM, Atwater HA (2018) Nanophotonic heterostructures for efficient propulsion and radiative cooling of relativistic light sails. Nano Lett. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b02035
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Jakosky BM, Edwards CS (2018) Inventory of CO2 available for terraforming Mars. Nature Astronomy 2:634–639
Article Google Scholar
Jakosky BM et al (2017) Mars' atmospheric history derived from upper-atmosphere measurements of (38)Ar/(36)Ar. Science 355:1408–1410. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aai7721
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Johnson-Freese J (2017) Build on the outer space treaty. Nature 550:182–184. https://doi.org/10.1038/550182a
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Karr JR et al (2012) A whole-cell computational model predicts phenotype from genotype. Cell 150:389–401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2012.05.044
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Kerr RA (2013) Planetary science. It's official–Voyager has left the solar system. Science 341:1158–1159. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.341.6151.1158
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Knott GJ, Doudna JA (2018) CRISPR-Cas guides the future of genetic engineering. Science 361:866–869. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat5011
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
MacGregor MA, Weinberger AJ, Wilner D, AF Kowalski, Cranmer SR (2018) Detection of a Millimeter Flare From Proxima Centauri. Astrophys J Lett. arXiv:1802.08257v1. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aaad6b
Mahaffy PR et al (2015G) Structure and composition of the neutral upper atmosphere of Mars from the MAVEN NGIMS investigation. Geophys Res Lett 42:8951–8957. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL065329
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Mann A (2017) Inner workings: all eyes on proxima centauri b. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:6646–6648. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1706680114
CAS Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Matijevic J et al (1997) Characterization of the Martian surface deposits by the Mars Pathfinder rover Sojourner. Rover Team. Science 278:1765–1768
Article CAS Google Scholar
McKay CP, Toon OB, Kasting JF (1991) Making mars habitable. Nature 352:489–496. https://doi.org/10.1038/352489a0
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Menezes AA, Montague MG, Cumbers J, Hogan JA, Arkin AP (2015) Grand challenges in space synthetic biology. J R Soc Interface 12:20150803. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2015.0803
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Nasera MZ, Chehab AI (2018) Materials and design concepts for space-resilient structures. Progr Aerosp Sci 98:74–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2018.03.004
Article Google Scholar
Nurnberg DJ et al (2018) Photochemistry beyond the red limit in chlorophyll f-containing photosystems. Science 360:1210–1213. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aar8313
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
O' Driscoll A, Sleator RD (2013) Synthetic DNA: the next generation of big data storage. Bioengineered 4:123–125. https://doi.org/10.4161/bioe.24296
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Ott E et al (2017) Proteometabolomic response of Deinococcus radiodurans exposed to UVC and vacuum conditions: Initial studies prior to the Tanpopo space mission. PLoS One 12:e0189381. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189381
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Parnell J et al (2007) Searching for life on Mars: selection of molecular targets for ESA's aurora ExoMars mission. Astrobiology 7:578–604. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2006.0110
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Sanderson K (2010) Mars rover Spirit (2003–10). Nature 463:600. https://doi.org/10.1038/463600a
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Scott R (2015) The Martian. A 20th century fox movie directed by Ridley Scott, screenplay by Drew Goddard, based on the novel by Andy Weir. Staring Matt Damon
Shapley H (1951) Proxima centauri as a flare star. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 37:15–18
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Shorthill RW, Moore HJ 2nd, Scott RF, Hutton RE, Liebes S Jr, Spitzer CR (1976) The "soil" of Mars (viking 1). Science 194:91–97. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.194.4260.91
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Singer SF (1968) Planetary engineering. Science 160:1476–1478. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.160.3835.1476
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Singh H (2018) Desiccation and radiation stress tolerance in cyanobacteria. J Basic Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.1002/jobm.201800216
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Sleator RD (2011) Phylogenetics. Arch Microbiol 193:235–239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-011-0677-x
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Sleator RD (2012) Digital biology: a new era has begun. Bioengineered 3:311–312. https://doi.org/10.4161/bioe.22367
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Sleator RD (2013) A beginner's guide to phylogenetics. Microb Ecol 66:1–4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-013-0236-x
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Sleator RD (2014b) Genetics just got SEXY: sequences encoding XY. Bioengineered 5:214–215. https://doi.org/10.4161/bioe.29306
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Sleator RD (2014c) The synthetic biology future. Bioengineered 5:69–72. https://doi.org/10.4161/bioe.28317
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Sleator RD, Smith N (2017a) Directed panspermia: a 21st century perspective. Sci Prog 100:187–193. https://doi.org/10.3184/003685017X14901006155062
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Sleator RD, Smith N (2017b) TRAPPIST-1: the dawning of the age of Aquarius. Bioengineered 8:194–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/21655979.2017.1306998
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Sleator RD (2014a) The genetic code. Rewritten, revised, repurposed. Artif DNA PNA XNA 5:e29408. https://doi.org/10.4161/adna.29408
Sleator RD (2016) JCVI-syn3.0—a synthetic genome stripped bare! Bioengineered 7:53–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/21655979.2016.1175847
Smith PH et al (1997) Results from the Mars Pathfinder camera. Science 278:1758–1765
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Soffen GA (1976) Status of the viking missions. Science 194:57–59. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.194.4260.57
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Sole RV, Montanez R, Duran-Nebreda S (2015) Synthetic circuit designs for earth terraformation. Biol Direct 10:37. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13062-015-0064-7
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Squyres SW et al (2009) Exploration of Victoria crater by the Mars rover Opportunity. Science 324:1058–1061. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1170355
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Thompson DB et al (2018) The future of multiplexed eukaryotic genome engineering. ACS Chem Biol 13:313–325. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschembio.7b00842
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Voosen P (2018a) NASA Curiosity rover hits organic pay dirt on Mars. Science 360:1054–1055. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.360.6393.1054
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Voosen P (2018b) Safely settled, InSight gets ready to look inside Mars. Science 362:979–980. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.362.6418.979
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Watson JD, Crick FH (1953) Molecular structure of nucleic acids; a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid. Nature 171:737–738
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Wu W, Yang Y, Lei H (2018) Progress in the application of CRISPR: From gene to base editing. Med Res Rev. https://doi.org/10.1002/med.21537
Article PubMed Google Scholar

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors dedicate this paper to the memory of Sister Mary Vermolen.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland
Roy D. Sleator
Blackrock Castle Observatory, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland
Niall Smith

Authors

Roy D. Sleator
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Niall Smith
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

RDS and NS conceived the idea and wrote the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roy D. Sleator.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Communicated by Erko Stackebrandt.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sleator, R.D., Smith, N. Terraforming: synthetic biology’s final frontier. Arch Microbiol 201, 855–862 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-019-01651-x

Download citation

Received: 12 February 2019
Revised: 06 March 2019
Accepted: 12 March 2019
Published: 30 March 2019
Issue Date: 01 August 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-019-01651-x

Keywords

Synthetic biology
Terraforming
Bioforming
Mars
Exoplanet
Proxima b
TRAPPIST-1
CRISPR
De-extinction
Light sails
Voyager
Ecopoiesis