Publications

2023:

Sager, Christof (2023), Formation and development of polygonal soils in the hyper-arid Atacama Desert and their relevance as a habitat on earth and beyond, Doctoral Thesis, https://doi.org/10.14279/depositonce-17841

Sager, C., Airo, A., Mangelsdorf, K., Arens, F. L., Karger, C., & Schulze-Makuch, D. (2023). Habitability of Polygonal Soils in the Hyper-arid Atacama Desert after a Simulated Rain Experiment. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 128, e2022JG007328. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JG007328

Jentzsch, L., Grossart, H.-P., Plewe, S., Schulze-Makuch, D., and Goldhammer, T. (2023) Response of cyanobacterial mats to ambient phosphate fluctuations: phosphorus cycling, polyphosphate accumulation, and stoichiometric flexibility. ISME COMMUN. 3, 6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43705-023-00215-x.

 

2022:

Heinz, J., Doellinger, J., Maus, D. Schneider, A., Lasch, P., Grossart, H.-P., and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2022) Perchlorate-Specific Proteomic Stress Responses of Debaryomyces hansenii Could Enable Microbial Survival in Martian Brines. Environmental Microbiology, doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.16152.

Sager, C., Airo, A., Arens, F.L., Schulze-Makuch, S. Eolian erosion of polygons in the Atacama Desert as a proxy for hyper-arid environments on Earth and beyond. Scientific Reports 12, 12394 (2022). doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-16404-y

Baqué, M. Backhaus, T., Meeßen, J. Hanken, F., …24 authors…, Schulze-Makuch, D., Selbmann, L., Serrano, P., Szewzyk, U., Verseux, C., Wagner, D., Westall, F., Zucconi, L., and de Vera, J.-P. P. (2022) Biosignature stability in space enables their use for life detection on Mars. Science Advances 8, 36 doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abn7412

Liu, Y., Jeraldo, P., Herbert, W., McDonough, S., Eckloff, B., de Vera, J.-P., Cockell, C., Leya, T., Baqué, M., Jen, J., Schulze-Makuch, D., and Walther-Antonio, M., (2022) Non-random genetic alterations in the cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. exposed to space conditions. Scientific Reports 12: 12580, doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-16789-w

Liu, Y., Jeraldo, P., Herbert, W., McDonough, S., Eckloff, B., Schulze-Makuch, D., de Vera, J.-P., Cockell, C., Leya, T., Baqué, M., Jen, J., Walther-Antonio, M., (2022) Whole genome sequencing of cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. CCCryo 231-06 using microfluidic single cell technology, iScience 25 (5), #104291, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.104291.

Wynne, J.J., Titus, T.N., … 31 authors…., Schulze-Makuch, D., Wagner, R.V., Whittaker, W.L., and Williams, K.E. (2022) Fundamental science and engineering questions in planetary cave exploration. JGR-Planets 127, e2022JE007194, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007194

 

2021:

Heinz, J., Rambags, V., Schulze-Makuch, S. (2021) Physicochemical Parameters Limiting Growth of Debaryomyces hansenii in Solutions of Hygroscopic Compounds and Their Effects on the Habitability of Martian Brines. Life, 11 (1194), doi:10.3390/life11111194.

Arens, F.L., Airo, A., Feige, J., Sager, C., Wiechert, U., Schulze-Makuch, D., 2021. Geochemical proxies for water-soil interactions in the hyperarid Atacama Desert, Chile. Catena, 206 (105531); doi:10.1016/j.catena.2021.105531 - accepted manuscript: 10.14279/depositonce-12120

Schulze-Makuch, D.; Lipus, D.; Arens, F.L.; Baqué, M.; Bornemann, T.L.V.; de Vera, J.-P.; Flury, M.; Frösler, J.; Heinz, J.; Hwang, Y.; Kounaves, S.P.; Mangelsdorf, K.; Meckenstock, R.U.; Pannekens, M.; Probst, A.J.; Sáenz, J.S.; Schirmack, J.; Schloter, M.; Schmitt-Kopplin, P.; Schneider, B.; Uhl, J.; Vestergaard, G.; Valenzuela, B.; Zamorano, P.; Wagner, D. (2021) Microbial Hotspots in Lithic Microhabitats Inferred from DNA Fractionation and Metagenomics in the Atacama Desert. Microorganisms, 9 (1038); doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9051038.

Schulze-Makuch, D. (2021) The Case (or Not) for Life in the Venusian Clouds. Life, 11, 255, doi:10.3390/life11030255.

C. Sager, A. Airo, F. L. Arens and D. Schulze-Makuch (2021) New types of sand wedge polygons in the salt cemented soils in the hyper-arid Atacama Desert. Geomorphology, Volume 373, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107481

M. Riekeles, J. Schirmack, D. Schulze-Makuch (2021) Machine Learning Algorithms Applied to Identify Microbial Species by Their Motility. Life11, 44. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/life11010044
 

 

2020:

Waajen, A.C., Heinz, J., Airo, A., and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2020) Physicochemical salt solution parameters limit the survival of Planococcus halocryophilus in Martian cryobrines. Front Microbiol, 11:1284, doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01284.

Heinz, J., Krahn, T., and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2020) A New Record for Microbial Perchlorate Tolerance: Fungal Growth in NaClO4 Brines and its Implications for Putative Life on Mars. Life, 10 (5), doi: 10.3390/life10050053.

Heinz, J., and Schulze-Makuch, D. Thiophenes on Mars: biotic or abiotic origin? Astrobiology 20 (4): 552-561, https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2019.2139

Maus, D., Heinz, J., Schirmack, J., Airo, A., Kounaves, S.P., Wagner, D., and Schulze-Makuch, D. Methanogenic archaea can produce methane in deliquescence-driven Mars analog environments. Scientific Reports 10, #6, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56267-4

Sager, C., Airo,A., Arens, F.,L., Rabethge,C., Schulze-Makuch, D. (2020) New types of boulder accumulations in the hyper-arid Atacama Desert. Geomorphology, Volume 350, https://doi/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.106897

Schulze-Makuch, D. Heller, R., and Guinan, E.F. (2020) In search for a planet better than Earth: today´s top contenders for a superhabitable planet. Astrobiology 20, no. 12, 1394-1404, doi: 10.1089/ast.2019.2161

Irwin, L.N. and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2020) The astrobiology of alien worlds: known and unknown forms of life. Universe 6(9), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe6090130

Schulze-Makuch, D., Haque, S., Beckles, D., Schmitt-Kopplin, P., Harir, M., Schneider, B., Stumpp, C. and Wagner, D. (2020) A chemical and microbial characterization of selected mud volcanoes reveals pathogens introduced by surficial water and rain water. Science of the Total Environment 707: #136087, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136087

 

2019:

Montgomery, W., Jaramillo, E.A., Royle, S.H., Kounaves, S.P., Schulze-Makuch, D., and Sephton, M.A. (2019) Effects of oxygen-containing salts on the detection of organic biomarkers on Mars and in terrestrial analog soils. Astrobiology 19, doi: 10.1089/ast.2018.1888

Schulze-Makuch, D. (2019) The naked mole-rat: an unusual organism with an unexpected latent potential for advanced intelligence? Life 9, 76, doi:10.3390/life9030076

Schulze-Makuch, D., Haque, S., Beckles, D., Schmitt-Kopplin, P., Harir, M., Schneider, B., Stumpp, C. and Wagner, D. A chemical and microbial characterization of selected mud volcanoes reveals pathogens introduced by surficial water and rain water. Science of the Total Environment 707: #136087, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136087

Schulze-Makuch, D. (2019) Review of David Deamer’s book Assembling Life: How Can Life Begin on Earth and Other Habitable Planets? Astrobiology 19 (12): 1540-1541, https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2019.2160

Sáenz, J.S., Airo, A., Schulze-Makuch, D., Schloter, M., and Vestergard, G. (2019) Functional traits co-occurring with mobile genetic elements in the microbiome of the Atacama Desert. Diversity 11, # 205, https://doi.org/10.3390/d11110205

Heinz, J., Waajen, A.C.,  Airo, A., Alibrandi, A., Schirmack J., and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2019) Bacterial Growth in Chloride and Perchlorate Brines: Halotolerances and Salt Stress Responses of Planococcus halocryophilus, Astrobiology, 19 (11), https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2019.2069

de Vera, J.P., Alawi, M., Backhaus, T., Baqué, M., Billi, D., Böttger, U., Berger, T., Cockell, C., Demets, R., de la Torre Noetzel, R., Edwards, H., Elsaesser, A., Fagliarone, C., Fiedler, A:, Foing, B., Foucher, F., Fritz, J., Hanke, F., Herzog, T., Horneck, G., Hübers, H.-W., Huwe, B., Joshi, J., Kozyrovska, N., Kruchten, M., Lasch, P., Lee, N., Leya, T., Lorek, A., Moritz, S., Möller, R., Olsson-Francis, K., Onofri, S., Ott, S., Pacelli, S., Podolich, O., Martínez-Frías, J., Rabbow, E., Reitz, G., Rettberg, P., Reva, O., Rothschild, L., Sancho, L.G., Schulze-Makuch, D., Selbmann, L., Serrano, P., Szewzyk, U., Verseux, C., Wagner, D., Westall, F., Wolter, D., and Zucconi, L. Limits of life and the habitability of Mars: The ESA space experiment BIOMEX on the ISS. Astrobiology 19: https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2018.1897 Fairén, A.G., Schulze-Makuch, D., Whyte, L., Parro, V., Pavlov, A., Gómez-Elvira, J., Azua-Bustos, A., Fink, W., and Baker, V. (2019) Planetary protection and the astrobiological exploration of Mars: Proactive steps in moving forward. Advances in Space Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2019.01.011

 

2018:

Schulze-Makuch, D. and Crawford, I.A. (2018) Was there an early habitability window for Earth´s Moon? Astrobiology 18 (8): p. 985-988.

Schulze-Makuch, D. and Bains, W. (2018) Time to consider search strategies for complex life on exoplanets. Nature Astronomy 2, 432, doi:10.1038/s41550-018-0476-2

Liu, Y, Schulze-Makuch, D., de Vera, J.-P., Cockell, C., Leya, T., Baqué, and Wather-Antonio, M. (2018) Development of effective bacterial single cell lysis method suitable for whole genome amplification in microfluidic platforms. Micromachines 9 (8), 367, https://doi.org/10.3390/mi9080367

Schulze-Makuch, D. and Bains, W. (2018) Time to consider search strategies for complex life on exoplanets. Nature Astronomy 2, 432, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-018-0476-2

Heinz, J., Schirmack, J., Airo, A., Kounaves, S.P. and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2018) Enhanced Microbial Survivability in Subzero Brines, Astrobiology, 18, doi: http://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2017.1805

Schulze-Makuch et al. (2018) Transitory microbial habitat in the hyperarid Atacama Desert. PNAS, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1714341115.

Supporting information: www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1714341115/-/DCSupplemental.

 

2017:

Schulze-Makuch, D, Airo, A. and Schirmack, J. (2017) The Adaptability of Life on Earth and the Diversity of Planetary Habitats, Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol. 8, doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02011.

Williams, J.-P,. Dohm, J.M., Soare, R.J., Flahaut, J., Lopes, R.M.C., Panthare, A.V., Fairén, A.G., Schulze-Makuch, D., and Buczkowski, D.L. (2017) Long-lived volcanism within Argyre Basin, Mars. Icarus 293: 8-26. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2017.04.001

Fairén, A.G., Parro, V, Schulze-Makuch, D., and Whyte, L. (2017) Searching for life on Mars before it is too late. Astrobiology 17: 962-970.

 

 

2016:

Davila, A.F. and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2016) The last possible outposts for life on Mars. Astrobiology, Vol. 16, No. 2, doi: 10.1089/ast.2015.1380.

Heinz, J., Schulze-Makuch, D. and Kounaves, S.P. (2016), Deliquescence-induced wetting and RSL-like darkening of a Mars analogue soil containing various perchlorate and chloride salts, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, doi: 10.1002/2016GL068919.

Schirmack, J., Fiebrandt, M., Stapelmann, K. and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2016) Effects of Low-Temperature Plasma-Sterilization on Mars Analog Soil Samples mixed with Deinococcus radiodurans. Life, 6, 22; doi: 10.3390/life6020022.

Bains, W. and Schulze-Makuch, D. (2016) The cosmic zoo: the (near) inevitability for the evolution of complex, macroscopic life. Life, vol. 6, no. 3, 25; doi:10.3390/life6030025