Bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, terrestrial analogue of extraterrestrial microorganisms?

Abstract

In this comprehensive review, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, an acidophilic bacterium, has been thoroughly examined as a plausible analogue for microbial life in Venus’s lower cloud layer. Given its ability to adapt to extreme conditions, including low pH environments and metal-rich settings, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is considered a promising candidate for studying life analogues in Venus’s clouds. This article comprehensively analyses the bacterium’s distinctive phenotypic and genotypic features, investigating its metabolic pathways, adaptive strategies and potential ecological niche within Venusian cloud ecosystems. After careful consideration of the environmental parameters characterizing Venus, the unidentified UV absorber in its clouds, and the prospects for microbial life, this review underscores the imperative nature of future Venus missions and the pivotal role that Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans may play in exploring the possible habitability of Venus and advancing astrobiological research.