Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert

8 pages, and tables statistics.

Bibliographic Details
Authors: Wierzchos, Jacek, Ascaso, Carmen, McKay, Christopher P.
Format: article
Publication Date:2006
Country:España
Institution:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repository:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/19099
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/19099
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Atacama Desert
Chroococcidiopsis
Endoliths
Halite
Mars.
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spelling Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama DesertWierzchos, JacekAscaso, CarmenMcKay, Christopher P.Atacama DesertChroococcidiopsisEndolithsHaliteMars.8 pages, and tables statistics.In the driest parts of the Atacama Desert there are no visible life forms on soil or rock surfaces. The soil in this region contains only minute traces of bacteria distributed in patches, and conditions are too dry for cyanobacteria that live under translucent stones. Here we show that halite evaporite rocks from the driest part of the Atacama Desert are colonized by cyanobacteria. This colonization takes place just a few millimeters beneath the rock surface, occupying spaces among salt crystals. Our work reveals that these communities are composed of extremely resistant Chroococcidiopsis morphospecies of cyanobacteria and associated heterotrophic bacteria. This newly discovered endolithic environment is an extremely dry and, at the same time, saline microbial habitat. Photosynthetic microorganisms within dry evaporite rocks could be an important and previously unrecognized target for the search for life within our Solar System.Peer reviewed200920092006info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501358165 bytesapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/19099reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Inglésinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/190992026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert
title Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert
spellingShingle Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert
Wierzchos, Jacek
Atacama Desert
Chroococcidiopsis
Endoliths
Halite
Mars.
title_short Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert
title_full Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert
title_fullStr Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert
title_full_unstemmed Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert
title_sort Endolithic Cyanobacteria in Halite Rocks from the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Wierzchos, Jacek
Ascaso, Carmen
McKay, Christopher P.
author Wierzchos, Jacek
author_facet Wierzchos, Jacek
Ascaso, Carmen
McKay, Christopher P.
author_role author
author2 Ascaso, Carmen
McKay, Christopher P.
author2_role author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Atacama Desert
Chroococcidiopsis
Endoliths
Halite
Mars.
topic Atacama Desert
Chroococcidiopsis
Endoliths
Halite
Mars.
description 8 pages, and tables statistics.
publishDate 2006
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2006
2009
2009
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/19099
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/19099
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 358165 bytes
application/pdf
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,811543

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