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Magnetotactic bacteria on Earth and on MarsContinued interest in the possibility of evidence for life in the ALH84001 Martian meteorite has focused on the magnetite crystals. This review is structured around three related questions: is the magnetite in ALH84001 of biological or non-biological origin, or a mixture of both? does magnetite on Earth provide insight to the plausibility of biogenic magnetite on Mars? could magnetotaxis have developed on Mars? There are credible arguments for both the biological and non-biological origin of the magnetite in ALH84001, and we suggest that more studies of ALH84001, extensive laboratory simulations of non-biological magnetite formation, as well as further studies of magnetotactic bacteria on Earth will be required to further address this question. Magnetite grains produced by bacteria could provide one of the few inorganic traces of past bacterial life on Mars that could be recovered from surface soils and sediments. If there was biogenic magnetite on Mars in sufficient abundance to leave fossil remains in the volcanic rocks of ALH84001, then it is likely that better-preserved magnetite will be found in sedimentary deposits on Mars. Deposits in ancient lakebeds could contain well-preserved chains of magnetite clearly indicating a biogenic origin.
Document ID
20050155589
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
McKay, Christopher P.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Friedmann, E. Imre
Frankel, Richard B.
Bazylinski, Dennis A.
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 2003
Publication Information
Publication: Astrobiology
Volume: 3
Issue: 2
ISSN: 1531-1074
Subject Category
Exobiology
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Review, Tutorial
Review

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