The grit crust: A poly-extremotolerant microbial community from the Atacama Desert as a model for astrobiology

• DOI: 10.3389/fspas.2022.1052278
• Publication Date: 2022-11-09T05:40:05Z
• Authors: Patrick Jung; Lukas W. Lehnert; Jörg Bendix; Guillaume Lentendu; Martin Grube; Fernando D. Alfaro; Camilo del Rio; José Luis Gutiérr...; Liesbeth van den ...; Michael Lakatos
• Keywords: Geomicrobiology; Biological soil crust

The grit crust is a recently discovered, novel type of biocrust made prokaryotic cyanobacteria, eukaryotic green algae, fungi, lichens and other microbes that grow around within granitoid stone pebbles about 6 mm diameter in the Coastal Range Atacama Desert, Chile. microbial community very well adapted towards extreme conditions such as highest irradiation planet, strong temperature amplitudes steep wet-dry cycles. It also has several striking features making this unique compared to biocrusts known from arid biomes on Earth. already been shown mediates various bio-weathering activities its natural habitat. These prime soil for higher organisms way can be envisioned proxy general processes shaping even extra-terrestrial landscapes. This mini-review highlights potential model astrobiology terms colonization biotechnological applications support human planets.