Could you genetically modify a plant to survive on mars

Lizardpatio

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8 years ago

Could you genetically modify a plant to survive on mars

I have asked around, and I have never really got any straight answeres. I want to get into the field of botany, and I am curious, could you hack at a plants genes enough to make it able to survive, and thrive on mars?

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bio_man

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Educator

8 years ago

All plants require oxygen as the final electron acceptor in the cellular respiration process. What's the atmosphere like in Mars?

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Lizardpatio Author

wrote...

8 years ago

Quote from: bio_man (8 years ago)

All plants require oxygen as the final electron acceptor in the cellular respiration process. What's the atmosphere like in Mars?

Mostly carbon dioxide, and a bit of nitrogen, with athe smallest amounts of oxygen. Not enough to be fully sustainable though. My guess would be either make the organism able to survive without oxygen? I know that there are organisms that could survive on mars, like the water bear, if it wasnt for the lack of oxygen.

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bio_man

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Educator

8 years ago

The water bear requires oxygen as far as I know.

Life is likely possible for very tiny organisms like archeabacteria and bacteria. But to date, nothing has been definitive.

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Lizardpatio Author

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8 years ago

Quote from: bio_man (8 years ago)

The water bear requires oxygen as far as I know.

Life is likely possible for very tiny organisms like archeabacteria and bacteria. But to date, nothing has been definitive.

I know there are things like hydrogenosomes that have allowed for certain multicellular organisms to survive. But, those organisms are much too different than water bears.

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bio_man

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Educator

8 years ago

Big time differences.

https://biology-forums.com/index.php?article=1428

I'm not sure if scientists are working on modifying microorganisms currently here on earth. I'd assume they are not since such organisms already exist, known as extremophiles.

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Lizardpatio Author

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7 years ago

Quote from: bio_man (8 years ago)

Could you genetically modify an extremophile to go through the process of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen?

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bio_man

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Educator

7 years ago

I think species like those already exist.

Capnophiles are microorganisms that thrive in the presence of high concentrations of carbon dioxide.

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Lizardpatio Author

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7 years ago

Quote from: bio_man (7 years ago)

I think species like those already exist.

Capnophiles are microorganisms that thrive in the presence of high concentrations of carbon dioxide.

Hmm... but then you have the characteristics of an extremeophile to deal with conditions like the ones on mars...

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bio_man

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Educator

7 years ago

I don't get what you mean by that

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