Pioneer Labs unveils engineered microbe to aid future Mars colonization
California start-up Pioneer Labs says its genetically engineered microbe sPL.001 can survive simulated Martian soil, remove toxins and produce bioplastics, offering a potential tool for in-situ resource use on Mars.
Pioneer Labs, a Californian start-up, announced the creation of a genetically modified microbe named sPL.001 that can live in chemically accurate simulants of Martian soil, water and atmosphere. The bacterium removes toxic perchlorates and other salts while synthesizing bioplastics that could be used for 3-D-printed habitats and other structures. Erika DeBenedictis, the firm’s CEO, said the microbe demonstrates that life could be sustained using only raw Martian regolith, a step toward terraforming concepts.
Laboratory trials involved exposing Earth-derived microbes to Mars-like conditions, iteratively selecting those that developed tolerance to the planet’s toxins. The microbe requires a heated, agitated bioreactor and a supply of processed air to obtain nitrogen in acetate form, as the thin Martian atmosphere lacks sufficient nitrogen. Because it is non-photosynthetic and cannot survive outside the reactor, the risk of it becoming an invasive species on Mars is minimal, a view supported by Samuel McKee of the University of Reading. The team acknowledges that real Martian regolith may present additional challenges, and further testing with actual samples is needed.
