Browsing by Autor "Jocelyne DiRuggiero"

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Data associated with the publication: Extremophile survives the transient pressures associated with impact-induced ejection from Mars
(2026) Lily Zhao; Cesar A. Pérez-Fernández; Jocelyne DiRuggiero; K. T. Ramesh
This dataset includes a summary of the data in this publication, including data produced from our own impact experiments and data found in literature. The velocity, pressure, survival, and standard deviation for each shot is included in a table, along with any notes. For data points from literature, the pressure, survival, and microorganism studied is included.
Dryland microbiomes reveal community adaptations to desertification and climate change
(Springer Nature, 2024) Claudia Coleine; Manuel Delgado‐Baquerizo; Jocelyne DiRuggiero; Emilio Guirado; Antoine Harfouche; Cesar A. Pérez-Fernández; Brajesh K. Singh; Laura Selbmann; Eleonora Egidi
Drylands account for 45% of the Earth's land area, supporting ~40% of the global population. These regions support some of the most extreme environments on Earth, characterized by extreme temperatures, low and variable rainfall, and low soil fertility. In these biomes, microorganisms provide vital ecosystem services and have evolved distinctive adaptation strategies to endure and flourish in the extreme. However, dryland microbiomes and the ecosystem services they provide are under threat due to intensifying desertification and climate change. In this review, we provide a synthesis of our current understanding of microbial life in drylands, emphasizing the remarkable diversity and adaptations of these communities. We then discuss anthropogenic threats, including the influence of climate change on dryland microbiomes and outline current knowledge gaps. Finally, we propose research priorities to address those gaps and safeguard the sustainability of these fragile biomes.
Experiments and Biological Assays on Microorganisms Subjected to Impact Stresses
(2024) Lily Zhao; Cesar A. Pérez-Fernández; Jocelyne DiRuggiero; K.T. Ramesh
Abstract Introduction The search for signs of life outside of Earth is an important motivation for many space missions. However, the risk of contamination of planetary bodies that may have harbored extraterrestrial life needs to be mitigated; any biosignatures detected cannot be conflated with those produced by organisms brought to the planetary body from the Earth spacecraft. Likewise, contamination from return samples to Earth may pose a harmful threat to humans and Earth life. Therefore, adequate planetary protection policy is necessary to mitigate these concerns. Consider for example the upcoming Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, which aims to better characterize Deimos and Phobos, the two moons of Mars, and bring back samples from Phobos. However, could there be Martian life in the samples from Phobos? An asteroid impact on Mars could potentially emplace ejecta on Phobos, and Martian life (if any) in the fractured rock could perhaps survive and spread to Phobos through the ejecta. Could organisms survive the impact? Since impact processes heavily affect all planetary bodies, its potential to affect the introduction, spread, and presence of life across the solar systems needs to be understood.