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Detecting biomarkers of extremophiles in Martian analogues
Němečková, Kateřina ; Jehlička, Jan (advisor) ; Hauer, Tomáš (referee) ; Vandenabeele, Peter (referee)
The main focus of this thesis is on the examination of endolithic microorganisms within gypsum from Sicily. This region is of particular interest because gypsum outcrops are common and accessible there, but the environment is not considered to be extreme in terms of solar radiation or other factors. The research aims to detect endolithic biomarkers and analyse their distribution in their natural environment, to identify endoliths with a focus on phototrophs, and to assign the detected biomarkers to their producers. One of the key tools used in this study was a portable Raman spectrometer with a 532 nm laser, used for the detection of carotenoids under field conditions. Further, the Raman fingerprints of scytonemin and gloeocapsin can be used for the taxonomic identification of some cyanobacteria. With the use of a combination of different excitation wavelengths (445nm, 532 nm, 780 nm), it was possible to detect good quality spectra of various pigments in situ, conditions also in isolated cells and colonies. The results of the molecular analysis also suggest that gypsum habitats in non-extreme regions have a similar microbial composition as those found in extreme regions; i.e., Cyanobacteria being the most abundant group of these microorganisms. This has previously been described as the "hypothesis...
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