Chroococcidiopsis
Encyclopedia
Chroococcidiopsis is one of the most primitive cyanobacteria, blue-green algae, known. It is a photosynthetic, coccoidal bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...

 and is known for its ability to survive harsh environmental conditions, including both high and low temperatures, high salt content, ionizing radiation
Ionizing radiation
Ionizing radiation is radiation composed of particles that individually have sufficient energy to remove an electron from an atom or molecule. This ionization produces free radicals, which are atoms or molecules containing unpaired electrons...

, and high salinity. Organisms that are capable of living in such harsh conditions are referred to as extremophilic.

Desiccation resistance

The ability of Chroococcidiopsis to resist desiccation
Desiccation
Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.-Science:...

 in arid environments is due in part to the fact that it colonizes the underside of translucent rocks. The underside of these rocks provides enough condensed moisture for growth while the rock's translucent nature allows just enough light to reach the organism for photosynthesis to occur.

Mars colonization

Due to its resistance to harsh environmental conditions, especially low temperature, low moisture, and radiation tolerance, Chroococcidiopsis has been thought of as an organism capable of living on Mars. Scientists have speculated about the possibly of introducing Chroococcidiopsis to the Martian environment to aid in the formation of an aerobic environment. In addition to oxygen production, Chroococcidiopsis could aid in the formation of soil on the Martian surface. On Earth, soil is formed from the decomposition of organic matter. On Mars, because there is no organic matter present, the organic material from the microbes themselves would provide the necessary organic matter. The soil and oxygen produced by these organisms could one day provide the conditions necessary for humans to grow food on Mars, possibly allowing for permanent human civilizations on the planet. This plan, however, is not feasible because the Martian surface, at approximately -55 C, is far too cold for Chroococcidiopsis to survive. The surface temperature would have to be raised to just above freezing for the bacteria to survive.

External links

  • Chroococcidiopsis, AlgaeBase
    AlgaeBase
    AlgaeBase is a global species database of information on all groups of algae, as well as one group of flowering plants, the sea-grasses.AlgaeBase evolved from Michael Guiry's seaweed website, and has grown into a database of algae from throughout the world, and in freshwater, terrestrial, and...

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