title: Fluorescent minerals--A potential source of UV protection and visible light for the growth of green algae and cyanobacteria in extreme cosmic environments.
abstract: We propose that green algae (Chlorella variabilis and Dunaliella tertiolecta) and cyanobacteria (Synechococcus elongatus and Nostoc commune) can grow inside fluorescent rock minerals which convert damaging UV light to visible light, thereby allowing these organisms to survive and thrive in UV-rich environments without (or with limited) visible light, which would otherwise be inimical to them. The four microorganisms were incubated inside fluorescent rocks composed of fluorite, calcite and pyrite. The resultant growth was then measured following exposure to UV radiation, with the use of optical density and measurement of chlorophyll concentration. Results show that the microorganisms were shielded from harmful UV in these semi-transparent rocks, while at the same time benefiting from the fact that the minerals converted UV to visible light; this have been shown by a statistically significant increase in their growth, which although lower than when the cells were incubated in sunlight, was significantly higher than in controls incubated in the dark.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK. Electronic address: Tlsomairi1@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Tareq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omairi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
authors.forename: Milton
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wainwright
mesh_terms: D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000378:metabolism; D002708:Chlorella / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D005453:Fluorescence; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D050501:Nostoc commune / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D046940:Synechococcus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D013440:Sulfides; C011342:pyrite; D002734:Chlorophyll; D007501:Iron; D002119:Calcium Carbonate
keywords: Astrobiology; Fluorescent minerals; Photosynthesis; Ultraviolet