Microbial Mars

Concepts Protocells Amphiphilic molecules spontaneously form cell-like structures that, by a process of encapsulation, acquire a chemical inventory 

Chemical potential gradients The chemical potential of a species can vary from place to place, e.g. inside and outside a cell, giving rise to a concentration difference and hence a concentration gradient. The inclusion of ions adds an electrochemical gradient and the two may oppose one another 

Membrane transport Once a membrane has formed, nutrients have to be transported across the membrane either by osmosis or actively 

Minimal genome The minimal gene set for an organism (170 genes) in a minimum volume cell 

Universal tree of life Studies of the genetic history and length of intron DNA lead to a universal tree of life and a common genetic ancestor - a hypothermophile bacterium 

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has long given high priority to missions that ask whether extraterrestrial life might exist in the solar system and beyond. That priority reflects public interest, which was enhanced in the mid-1990s when fragments of Mars delivered to Earth as meteorites were shown to contain small structures reminiscent of microbial life. 

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