Could you genetically modify a plant to survive on mars

Lizardpatio

wrote...

Posts: 5

Rep:

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?

Read 472 times

9 Replies

Report

Related Topics

Replies

bio_man

wrote...

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?

Report

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.

Report

bio_man

wrote...

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.

Report

Lizardpatio Author

wrote...

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.

Report

bio_man

wrote...

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.

Report

Lizardpatio Author

wrote...

8 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?

Report

bio_man

wrote...

Educator

8 years ago

I think species like those already exist.

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

Report

Lizardpatio Author

wrote...

8 years ago

Quote from: bio_man (8 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...

Report

bio_man

wrote...

Educator

8 years ago

I don't get what you mean by that

Report

New Topic

Home Search Q & A Board Gallery Resource Library Blog Dictionary Chat	Quick Links Start a Topic Latest Topics Unanswered Questions Courses Study Tools Browse by Textbook	Social Facebook YouTube Community Stats Who's Online Trending Staff	Help About Us Take the Tour Study Tips Posting Guidelines Terms and Policies Contact Us
Biology Forums - Study Force © 2010-2024 \| Powered by SMF \| SMF © 2015, Simple Machines \| Sitemap Biology-Forums.com is not affiliated with any publisher. Book covers, title and author names appear for reference only.