title: Detection of biosphere frontier by using phosphatase activity.
abstract: A wide variety of methods have been proposed to detect microbial activities, but most of them can be applied to limited categories of terrestrial organisms. We propose here to use phosphatase activity, which seems to be an essential catalytic activity for all the terrestrial organisms, and possibly for extraterrestrial organisms. We determined phosphatase activity in core samples, chimney samples, and sea water samples obtained in submarine hydrothermal systems located at Suiyo Seamount, Izu-Bonin Arc, and South Mariana. It was shown that phosphatase activity is one of possible biomarkers for extant life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Yokohama National University.
authors.forename: Kensei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Arimichi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moroi
authors.forename: Yae
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Edazawa
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takano
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012492:Salts; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D012492:Salts; C017082:brine; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000135:Acid Phosphatase