Biology and Chemistry Flashcards
understand the biological and chemical features which affect our understanding of Astrobiology
Describe the link between DNA, RNA and Proteins
- DNA stores information
- DNA is then transcribed into RNA
What functions do proteins carry out?
- Replication
- Metabolism
What are Fisher-Tropsch reactions used for?
Developed to produce fuel from inorganic precursors
co2 and co –> ch4
What is CHNOPS?
- Carbon
- Hydrogen
- Nitrogen
- Oxygen
- Phosphorus
- Sulphur
Chemicals with low boiling points that are associated with a planets crust or atmosphere is known as what?
Volatiles
Describe what is meant by the “Tree of Life” and “LUCA”?
- The tree of life is a map which shows how all organisms are related to one another and how they evolved
- LUCA stands for Last Universal Common Ancestor, which is the furthest back organism we can trace evolution too. we can use things like ribosomes to do this
How old is the first best example of life on earth?
3.43 Ga
What type of organisms appear at the root of the Tree of Life?
- Methanogens
- Anoxygenic photosynthesisors
What are methanogens?
- A special type of anoxygenic photosynthesisors
- Methanogens are organisms that produce CH4 as a by-product of photosynthesis
When did the first sign of oxygenic photosynthesis occur?
2.7 Ga
Describe the great Oxidation event and its impact on earth
- Greatest re-organisations of biogeochemical cycles in earths history
- Caused by the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis
- Due to the atmosphere changing, this created a greenhouse effect that caused the glaciers to melt and cause the oxidation of oceans
- This would have killed most life on earth due to the fact oxygen was poisonous to early life on earth
What is a Eukaryote and when were they dated?
- Oxygenic photsynthesising Multi-celled organism which contain the first signs of the Mitochondria and Chloroplast
- 1.9 Ga
What is an extremophile?
microorganisms or singe celled organisms which survive and thrive in harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures and pH environments
What is the name given to the process where organisms enter a metabolic dormant state until conditions are no longer extreme?
Cryptobiosis
What is the terms given to organisms that can survive in High temperatures, Salt high environments and with no oxygen?
- Thermophiles
- Halophiles
- Anaerobes
What are some of the remotely detectable biosignatures?
- Analysis of atmosphere can reveal Oxygenic Photosynthesis
- reflected light from planetary surfaces –> Vegetation red edge
True or False
-The strongest biosignatures are given by a mix of oxidising and reducing agents, rather than one or the other
True
What are the three types of Biosignatures?
-Type 1, redox gradients
-Type 2, by-products building in the atmosphere
-Type 3, secondary byproducts of photo-chemical reactions
gaseous
surface
temporal
How does the ISS help us understand problems in astrobiology?
- how physical processes effect the evolution of life and how this would develop on other worlds
- understand the limits of terrestrial life processes and biochemistry
- effects of gravity and radiation on the evolution of life
- development of biotechnology and medicine
Name some of the factors that effect natural selection
- climate change
- population change and interaction
- disease
- stochastic events and natural disasters
Name the biological macro-molecules that make up living cells
- Nucleic acid
- Protein
- Lipid
- Carbohydrates
What is the name given to extremophiles that can survive in cold conditions?
Psychrophiles / cryophiles
What is the name given to extremophiles that can survive in very Basic (high pH) conditions?
alkaliphiles
Name an environment where you would find a thermophile
- near or in Hydrothermal vents
- deserts
Name an environment where you would find a psychrophile
in the antarctic or either of the poles of earth
Name some of the benefits of using the ISS to test survival in low gravity, radioactive conditions
- we can test the limitations of terrestrial biochemistry and physiology
- we can see how varying levels of radiation and gravity effect evolution
What is astro-botany?
Growing food in space
What is evolution theory?
- Can be used to make predictions about potential alien life
- if aliens undergo natural selection then we can say something about how biological complexity will develop elsewhere
