Pressure as a limiting factor for life

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dc.contributor.authorHazael, Rachael
dc.contributor.authorMeersman, Filip
dc.contributor.authorOno, Fumihisa
dc.contributor.authorMcMillan, Paul F.
dc.date.accessioned2018-02-14T16:54:39Z
dc.date.available2018-02-14T16:54:39Z
dc.date.issued2016-08-17
dc.description.abstractFacts concerning the stability and functioning of key biomolecular components suggest that cellular life should no longer be viable above a few thousand atmospheres (200–300 MPa). However, organisms are seen to survive in the laboratory to much higher pressures, extending into the GPa or even tens of GPa ranges. This is causing main questions to be posed concerning the survival mechanisms of simple to complex organisms. Understanding the ultimate pressure survival of organisms is critical for food sterilization and agricultural products conservation technologies. On Earth the deep biosphere is limited in its extent by geothermal gradients but if life forms exist in cooler habitats elsewhere then survival to greater depths must be considered. The extent of pressure resistance and survival appears to vary greatly with the timescale of the exposure. For example, shock experiments on nanosecond timescales reveal greatly enhanced survival rates extending to higher pressure. Some organisms could survive bolide impacts thus allowing successful transport between planetary bodies. We summarize some of the main questions raised by recent results and their implications for the survival of life under extreme compression conditions and its possible extent in the laboratory and throughout the universe.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationHazael R, Meersman F, Ono F, McMillan P, Pressure as a limiting factor for life, Life, Vol. 6. Issue 3, 2016, 34en_UK
dc.identifier.issn2075-1729
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life6030034
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/13002
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherMD PIen_UK
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/*
dc.subjectExtreme conditionsen_UK
dc.subjectHigh pressure treatmenten_UK
dc.subjectFood technologyen_UK
dc.subjectProtein stabilityen_UK
dc.subjectCell wall biochemistryen_UK
dc.subjectBacterial survivalen_UK
dc.subjectInterplanetary transporten_UK
dc.subjectSeedsen_UK
dc.subjectSporesen_UK
dc.subjectArtemia cystsen_UK
dc.titlePressure as a limiting factor for lifeen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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