Siegel S M
Department of Botany, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, USA.
Life Sci Space Res. 1977;15:73-5.
Survival and growth of organisms has been demonstrated at 298 degrees K in NH3 atmospheres, including ammonia-methane mixtures. Included are bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, fungi such as Penicillium notatum and Torula utilis. Although the biological response in onion and other species of Allium is limited to germination, standard metabolic poisons were active even in 15 M aqueous NH3, at 250 degrees K. The most extreme example of compatibility between NH3-rich environments and terrestrial life was the retention of metabolic capabilities by conidia of Penicillium after 6 months at 233 degrees K in a liquid ammonia-glycerol medium. Tritiated thymidine, uridine and amino acids were incorporated by these conidia unless subjected to intense gamma-radiation. Observations spanning the past decade suggest that the analogies between H2O and NH3 as solvent media or -OH and -NH2, as functional groups are probably valid. Chemical-biological evolution similar to early terrestrial evolution could be compatible with chemical conditions presumed to exist on the outer planets and some of their satellites.
已证明生物体在298开尔文的氨气环境（包括氨 - 甲烷混合物）中能够存活和生长。其中包括诸如产气荚膜梭菌、铜绿假单胞菌等细菌，以及诸如青霉和产朊假丝酵母等真菌。虽然洋葱和其他葱属物种的生物反应仅限于发芽，但标准代谢毒物即使在250开尔文的15 M氨水相中仍具有活性。富含氨的环境与陆地生命之间兼容性的最极端例子是青霉分生孢子在233开尔文的液氨 - 甘油培养基中6个月后仍保留代谢能力。除非受到强烈的伽马辐射，这些分生孢子会掺入氚化胸腺嘧啶核苷、尿苷和氨基酸。过去十年的观察表明，水和氨作为溶剂介质，或者羟基和氨基作为官能团之间的类比可能是成立的。类似于早期陆地进化的化学生物进化可能与推测存在于外行星及其一些卫星上的化学条件相兼容。
