Metabolomics as an Emerging Tool in the Search for Astrobiologically Relevant Biomarkers

Abstract

It is now routinely possible to sequence and recover microbial genomes from environmental samples. To the degree it is feasible to assign transcriptional and translational functions to these genomes, it should be possible, in principle, to largely understand the complete molecular inputs and outputs of a microbial community. However, gene-based tools alone are presently insufficient to describe the full suite of chemical reactions and small molecules that compose a living cell. Metabolomic tools have developed quickly and now enable rapid detection and identification of small molecules within biological and environmental samples. The convergence of these technologies will soon facilitate the detection of novel enzymatic activities, novel organisms, and potentially extraterrestrial life-forms on solar system bodies. This review explores the methodological problems and scientific opportunities facing researchers who hope to apply metabolomic methods in astrobiology-related fields, and how present challenges might be overcome.

Keywords: Biogeochemistry. Astrobiology 20, 1251–1261; Biomarkers; Biosignatures; Metabolism; Molecular fossils.

FIG. 1.

The central dogma of molecular biology and its corresponding omics disciplines.

FIG. 2.

A summary of metabolomic methods.