The Role of Atmospheric Composition in Defining the Habitable Zone Limits and Supporting <i>E. coli</i> Growth
Studying exoplanet atmospheres is essential for assessing their potential to host liquid water and their capacity to support life (their habitability). Each atmosphere uniquely influences the likelihood of surface liquid water, defining the habitable zone (HZ)—the region around a star where liquid w...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Asena Kuzucan Emeline Bolmont Guillaume Chaverot Jaqueline Quirino Ferreira Bastiaan Willem Ibelings Siddharth Bhatnagar Daniel Frank McGinnis |
| author_facet | Asena Kuzucan Emeline Bolmont Guillaume Chaverot Jaqueline Quirino Ferreira Bastiaan Willem Ibelings Siddharth Bhatnagar Daniel Frank McGinnis |
| author_sort | Asena Kuzucan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studying exoplanet atmospheres is essential for assessing their potential to host liquid water and their capacity to support life (their habitability). Each atmosphere uniquely influences the likelihood of surface liquid water, defining the habitable zone (HZ)—the region around a star where liquid water can exist. However, being within the HZ does not guarantee habitability, as life requires more than just liquid water. In this study, we adopted a two-pronged approach. First, we estimated the surface conditions of planets near the HZ’s inner edge under various atmospheric compositions. By utilizing a 3D climate model, we refined the inner boundaries of the HZ for planets with atmospheres dominated by H<sub>2</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> for the first time. Second, we investigated microbial survival in these environments, conducting laboratory experiments on the growth and survival of <i>E. coli</i> K-12, focusing on the impact of different gas compositions. This innovative combination of climate modeling and biological experiments bridges theoretical climate predictions with biological outcomes. Our findings indicate that atmospheric composition significantly affects bacterial growth patterns, highlighting the importance of considering diverse atmospheres in evaluating exoplanet habitability and advancing the search for life beyond Earth. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj-art-5feaebf4261b42e38d35abb45555713b2025-01-24T13:38:42ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-01-011517910.3390/life15010079The Role of Atmospheric Composition in Defining the Habitable Zone Limits and Supporting <i>E. coli</i> GrowthAsena Kuzucan0Emeline Bolmont1Guillaume Chaverot2Jaqueline Quirino Ferreira3Bastiaan Willem Ibelings4Siddharth Bhatnagar5Daniel Frank McGinnis6Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, Chemin Pegasi 51, 1290 Versoix, SwitzerlandObservatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, Chemin Pegasi 51, 1290 Versoix, SwitzerlandCentre sur la Vie dans l’Univers, Université de Genève, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandCentre sur la Vie dans l’Univers, Université de Genève, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandCentre sur la Vie dans l’Univers, Université de Genève, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandObservatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, Chemin Pegasi 51, 1290 Versoix, SwitzerlandCentre sur la Vie dans l’Univers, Université de Genève, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandStudying exoplanet atmospheres is essential for assessing their potential to host liquid water and their capacity to support life (their habitability). Each atmosphere uniquely influences the likelihood of surface liquid water, defining the habitable zone (HZ)—the region around a star where liquid water can exist. However, being within the HZ does not guarantee habitability, as life requires more than just liquid water. In this study, we adopted a two-pronged approach. First, we estimated the surface conditions of planets near the HZ’s inner edge under various atmospheric compositions. By utilizing a 3D climate model, we refined the inner boundaries of the HZ for planets with atmospheres dominated by H<sub>2</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> for the first time. Second, we investigated microbial survival in these environments, conducting laboratory experiments on the growth and survival of <i>E. coli</i> K-12, focusing on the impact of different gas compositions. This innovative combination of climate modeling and biological experiments bridges theoretical climate predictions with biological outcomes. Our findings indicate that atmospheric composition significantly affects bacterial growth patterns, highlighting the importance of considering diverse atmospheres in evaluating exoplanet habitability and advancing the search for life beyond Earth.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/1/79exoplanetsatmospheresclimateGCM simulationsinner limit of habitable zonehabitability |
| spellingShingle | Asena Kuzucan Emeline Bolmont Guillaume Chaverot Jaqueline Quirino Ferreira Bastiaan Willem Ibelings Siddharth Bhatnagar Daniel Frank McGinnis The Role of Atmospheric Composition in Defining the Habitable Zone Limits and Supporting <i>E. coli</i> Growth Life exoplanets atmospheres climate GCM simulations inner limit of habitable zone habitability |
| title | The Role of Atmospheric Composition in Defining the Habitable Zone Limits and Supporting <i>E. coli</i> Growth |
| title_full | The Role of Atmospheric Composition in Defining the Habitable Zone Limits and Supporting <i>E. coli</i> Growth |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Atmospheric Composition in Defining the Habitable Zone Limits and Supporting <i>E. coli</i> Growth |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Atmospheric Composition in Defining the Habitable Zone Limits and Supporting <i>E. coli</i> Growth |
| title_short | The Role of Atmospheric Composition in Defining the Habitable Zone Limits and Supporting <i>E. coli</i> Growth |
| title_sort | role of atmospheric composition in defining the habitable zone limits and supporting i e coli i growth |
| topic | exoplanets atmospheres climate GCM simulations inner limit of habitable zone habitability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/1/79 |
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