Laboratory experiment of ATP measurement using Mars soil simulant: as a method for extraterrestrial life detection

Abstract

We present a laboratory experiment of ATP measurement using Mars soil simulant and Escherichia coli (E. coli) with a point of view for future application to searching extraterrestrial life. We used Mars Global Simulant MGS-1 (Exolith Lab) as soil simulant, added E. coli suspension to it, then the soil simulant with E. coli was dried. Various configurations of samples with different E. coli density, 1.75 × 102, 1.75 × 103, 1.75 × 104, 1.75 × 105, and 1.75 × 106 cells (g soil)−1, were prepared together with controls. ATP extraction reagent and luminescence reagent were added to the sample, and bioluminescence measurement was performed. The result suggests significant detection of ATP for samples with E. coli density used in this work. Similar experiments but without the soil simulant were carried out, and results with and without the soil simulant are compared. Based on the ATP measurement studied in this work, we discussed extraterrestrial life search, planetary protection, relation with the panspermia hypothesis, and also other applications. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]