Researchers Discover Baker’s Yeast Can Survive Martian Conditions

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), along with colleagues at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad, have identified that Baker’s yeast, known scientifically as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, possesses remarkable resilience to the harsh conditions of the Martian environment. This finding is significant as it may provide insights into how life could potentially survive on other planets.

To investigate this, the team subjected yeast cells to high-intensity shock waves, similar to those generated by meteorite impacts on Mars, and to toxic perchlorate salts found in Martian soil. Using the High-Intensity Shock Tube for Astrochemistry (HISTA) developed in Bhalamurugan Sivaraman’s lab, they simulated shock waves reaching an intensity of Mach 5.6. The yeast cells were also treated with 100 mM sodium perchlorate, either alone or in combination with shock waves.

Riya Dhage, the lead author of the study, highlighted the challenges involved in setting up the HISTA tube to expose live yeast cells to shock waves, a process that had not been attempted previously. The team successfully recovered yeast with minimal contamination for further experiments.

Survival Under Stress

The results indicated that the yeast cells survived exposure to shock waves and perchlorate, both individually and together, although their growth rates were reduced. The research team believes that the key to this resilience lies in the yeast’s ability to produce ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates. These tiny, membrane-less structures play a crucial role in protecting and reorganizing mRNA during stressful conditions.

Shock waves triggered the assembly of two types of RNPs, known as stress granules and P-bodies, while exposure to perchlorate led to the generation of P-bodies only. The study found that yeast mutants unable to form these structures were significantly less likely to survive the imposed stress.

The findings suggest that RNP condensates could serve as biomarkers for cellular stress in extraterrestrial environments. Dhage noted, “What makes this work unique is the integration of shock wave physics and chemical biology with molecular cell biology to probe how life might cope with such Mars-like stressors.”

Implications for Future Exploration

Both researchers expressed optimism about the implications of their findings for future space exploration. Purusharth I. Rajyaguru, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, remarked, “We were surprised to observe yeast surviving the Mars-like stress conditions that we used in our experiments. We hope that this study will galvanize efforts to have yeast on board in future space explorations.”

The study underscores the potential of Baker’s yeast as a model organism for astrobiology research, paving the way for further exploration into how life could adapt to conditions beyond Earth. The full implications of these findings could contribute to understanding the possibilities of life on Mars and other celestial bodies.