Development of Life Detection Microscope for searching living microorganisms on Mars

• Project/Area Number: 19H01955
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 17010:Space and planetary sciences-related
• Research Institution: Tamagawa University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHIMURA Yoshitaka 玉川大学, 農学部, 教授 (90384718)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐々木 聰 東京工科大学, 医療保健学部, 教授 (70262110) ; 今井 栄一 長岡技術科学大学, 工学研究科, 助教 (30134977)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
• Budget Amount: ¥17,550,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,050,000); Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥5,850,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,350,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥10,660,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,460,000)
• Keywords: 火星 / 蛍光顕微鏡 / 生命探査 / 生命兆候 / 探査機器 / 極限環境微生物

Outline of Research at the Start

本研究は、火星表面において，微生物を含む有機物を、蛍光色素で染色することによって高感度に検出することができる生命探査顕微鏡の開発を目的としている。実験室レベルの試作機を製作し、火星模擬環境下での動作確認（試料染色から画像取得まで）と、取得画像の解析によって、鉱物・有機物・細胞の識別能と検出感度を検証する。これにより実用化の道筋をつけ、今後の火星探査計画への搭載を目指す。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to produce a breadboard model (BBM) of the life detection microscope (LDM) that will detect life signatures of extraterrestrial life such as organic compounds including microbes on the surface of Mars, and to validate the scientific goal of 1 μm/pixel resolution and a detection sensitivity of 10^4 cells/g. As a result, the BBM with a resolution of 0.87 μm/pixel was produced, and microorganisms was successfully detected in validation tests using simulated Mars samples adjusted to a microbial density of 10 ^ 4 cells/g.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在の火星表面は、乾燥した低温環境であるが、数十億年前の火星は、生命の誕生に適した環境であったと考えられるようになってきた。近年、火星表面から有機物やメタンなどが見つかるなど、現在も生命が存在している可能性が出てきた。
しかしながら、現在の欧米の火星探査は、過去の生命の痕跡を見つける、有機物探査が中心である。そこで、本研究では、生きた生命（微生物）を含む有機物を検出する装置の開発を行った。将来的に、火星表面に生命が現存していることが明らかになれば、宇宙における生命の誕生と進化の研究に大きな貢献ができるだけでなく、火星有人探査における、ヒトと火星生命が接触するリスクを評価することができるだろう。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] In situ biochemical characterization of Venus cloud particles using a life-signature detection microscope (2022)
  • Author(s): Sasaki Satoshi、Yamagishi Akihiko、Yoshimura Yoshitaka、Enya Keigo、Miyakawa Atsuo、Ohno Sosuke、Fujita Kazuhisa、Usui Tomohiro、Limaye Sanjay S.
  • Journal Title: Canadian Journal of Microbiology Volume: - Issue: 6 Pages: 1-13
  • DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2021-0140
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Life Explorations for Biosignatures in Space (2021)
  • Author(s): YOSHIMURA Yoshitaka、ENYA Keigo、KOBAYASHI Kensei、SASAKI Satoshi、YAMAGISHI Akihiko
  • Journal Title: BUNSEKI KAGAKU Volume: 70 Issue: 6 Pages: 309-326
  • DOI: 10.2116/bunsekikagaku.70.309
  • NAID: 130008068564
  • ISSN: 0525-1931
  • Year and Date: 2021-06-05
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Fluorescence microscope as a core instrument for extraterrestrial-life detection methods (2021)
  • Author(s): Enya Keigo、Yoshimura Yoshitake、Kobayashi Kensei、Yamagishi Akihiko
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of SPIE Volume: 11815 Pages: 34-34
  • DOI: 10.1117/12.2595495
• [Journal Article] Life detection fluorescence microscope (LDM) for the solar system explorations (2020)
  • Author(s): Enya Keigo、Yoshimura Y.、Sasaki S.、Yamagishi A.、Miyakawa A.、Imai E.、Kobayashi K.、Mita H.
  • Journal Title: Proc. SPIE, Optics, Photonics and Digital Technologies for Imaging Applications VI Volume: 11353 Pages: 81-81
  • DOI: 10.1117/12.2560320
• [Journal Article] 火星の微生物を探る生命探査顕微鏡 (2019)
  • Author(s): 吉村義隆
  • Journal Title: ぶんせき Volume: 10 Pages: 474-477
• [Presentation] 地球外生命探査顕微鏡 (2022)
  • Author(s): 塩谷圭吾、吉村義隆、 佐々木聰、大野宗祐、木村駿太、三田肇、山岸明彦、宮川厚夫、今井栄一、小林憲正
  • Organizer: ISAS宇宙生命探査シンポジウム
• [Presentation] Development of the Life-signature Detection Microscope (LDM) for in situ imaging of organic compounds including living cells on Mars (2021)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Akihiko Yamagishi, Atsuo Miyakawa, Eiichi Imai, Satoshi Sasaki, Hajime Mita, Kensei Kobayashi, Yoko Kebukawa, Naoto Sato, Takehiko Satoh, Keigo Enya, Kazuhisa Fujita, and Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: JpGU
• [Presentation] Development of the Life-signature Detection Microscope (LDM) for in situ imaging of organic compounds including living cells on Mars (2021)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Akihiko Yamagishi, Atsuo Miyakawa, Satoshi Sasaki, Eiichi Imai, Keigo Enya, Kensei Kobayashi, Yoko Kebukawa, Tomoka Okada, Hajime Mita, Takeshi Naganuma, Takehiko Satoh, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: COSPAR 2021-Hybrid
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 蛍光顕微鏡による火星での生命兆候探査 (2021)
  • Author(s): 吉村義隆, 山岸明彦, 宮川厚夫, 今井栄一, 佐々木聰, 佐藤毅彦, 塩谷圭吾,小林憲正, 癸生川陽子, 三田肇, 佐藤直人, 丸尾裕一, 登尾浩助, 薮田ひかる, 長沼毅, 藤田和央, 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 宇宙環境利用シンポジウム
• [Presentation] 火星表面探査のための生命兆候探査顕微鏡（LDM)開発の現状 (2021)
  • Author(s): 吉村義隆, 山岸明彦, 宮川厚夫, 今井栄一, 佐々木聰, 佐藤毅彦, 塩谷圭吾,小林憲正, 癸生川陽子, 三田肇, 佐藤直人, 丸尾裕一, 登尾浩助, 薮田ひかる, 長沼毅, 藤田和央, 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 宇宙科学シンポジウム
• [Presentation] 火星表面探査に向けた生命兆候探査顕微鏡のブレッドボードモデル開発 (2020)
  • Author(s): 吉村義隆, 山岸明彦, 宮川厚夫, 今井栄一, 佐々木聰, 塩谷圭吾, 三田肇, 小林憲正, 癸生川陽子, 佐藤直人, 佐藤毅彦, 薮田ひかる, 長沼毅, 藤田和央, 臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 日本惑星科学会秋季講演会
• [Presentation] Development of the Life-signature Detection Microscope (LDM) for in situ imaging of organic compounds including microbial cells on Mars (2020)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura
  • Organizer: ISAS 惑星探査ワークショップ
• [Presentation] Search for biosignatures on Mars by the Life-signature Detection Microscope (LDM) (2020)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Akihiko Yamagishi, Atsuo Miyakawa, Satoshi Sasaki, Eiichi Imai, Keigo Enya, Kensei Kobayashi, Yoko Kebukawa, Tomoka Okada, Hajime Mita, Takeshi Naganuma, Takehiko Satoh, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: JpGU-AGU Joint Meeting 2020
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 火星表面探査のための生命兆候探査顕微鏡（LDM）開発 (2020)
  • Author(s): 吉村義隆，山岸明彦，宮川厚夫，今井栄一，佐々木聰，佐藤毅彦，塩谷圭吾，小林憲正，癸生川陽子，岡田朋華，薮田ひかる，長沼毅，三田肇，登尾浩助，佐藤直人，丸尾裕一，藤田和央，臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 第34回宇宙環境利用シンポジウム
• [Presentation] 火星表面探査のための生命兆候探査顕微鏡（LDM）開発の現状 (2020)
  • Author(s): 吉村義隆，山岸明彦，宮川厚夫，今井栄一，佐々木聰，佐藤毅彦，塩谷圭吾，小林憲正，癸生川陽子，岡田朋華，薮田ひかる，長沼毅，三田肇，藤田和央，臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 第20回宇宙科学シンポジウム
• [Presentation] 火星表面で生命の兆候を検出する生命探査顕微鏡の開発 (2019)
  • Author(s): 吉村義隆，山岸明彦，佐藤毅彦，宮川厚夫，今井栄一，佐々木聰，小林憲正，癸生川陽子，岡田朋華，塩谷圭吾，薮田ひかる，長沼毅，三田肇，藤田和央，臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 日本惑星科学会秋季講演会
• [Presentation] 火星表面で生命の兆候を検出する顕微鏡開発 (2019)
  • Author(s): 吉村義隆，山岸明彦，宮川厚夫，今井栄一，佐々木聰，佐藤毅彦，塩谷圭吾，小林憲正，癸生川陽子，岡田朋華，薮田ひかる，長沼毅，三田肇，藤田和央，臼井寛裕
  • Organizer: 2019年度アストロバイオロジーワークショップ
• [Presentation] 火星生命探査顕微鏡における有機物と鉱物の識別法の検討 (2019)
  • Author(s): 岡田朋華, 吉村義隆, 宮川厚夫, 村野由佳, 横堀伸一, 山岸明彦, 小林憲正, 癸生川陽子
  • Organizer: 日本宇宙生物科学会第33回大会
• [Presentation] Current status of Life Detection Microscope (LDM) for Mars surface exploration (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Akihiko Yamagishi, Takehiko Satoh, Atsuo Miyakawa, Eiichi Imai, Satoshi Sasaki, Kensei Kobayashi, Yoko Kebukawa, Tomoka Okada, Keigo Enya, Hikaru Yabuta, Takeshi Naganuma, Hajime Mita, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2019
• [Presentation] Development of Life Detection Microscope (LDM) for in situ imaging of living cells on Mars surface (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Akihiko Yamagishi, Takehiko Satoh, Atsuo Miyakawa, Eiichi Imai, Satoshi Sasaki, Kensei Kobayashi, Yoko Kebukawa, Tomoka Okada, Keigo Enya, Hikaru Yabuta, Takeshi Naganuma, Hajime Mita, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui,
  • Organizer: Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2019
• [Presentation] Scientific significance of searching living cells on Mars surface by Life Detection Microscope (LDM) (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Akihiko Yamagishi, Takehiko Satoh, Atsuo Miyakawa, Eiichi Imai, Satoshi Sasaki, Kensei Kobayashi, Yoko Kebukawa, Tomoka Okada, Keigo Enya, Hikaru Yabuta, Takeshi Naganuma, Hajime Mita, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2019
• [Presentation] Life search on Mars by Life Detection Microscope (LDM) (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura
  • Organizer: Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2019
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Development of Life Detection Microscope (LDM) for in situ imaging of living cells on Mars surface (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Akihiko Yamagishi, Takehiko Satoh, Atsuo Miyakawa, Eiichi Imai, Satoshi Sasaki, Kensei Kobayashi, Yoko Kebukawa, Tomoka Okada, Keigo Enya, Hikaru Yabuta, Takeshi Naganuma, Hajime Mita, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: Joint Symposium 32nd ISTS & 9th NSAT
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Microscope for Life Detection in Venus Clouds (2019)
  • Author(s): Satoshi Sasaki, Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Keigo Enya, Atsuo Miyakawa, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui, Sohsuke Ohno, Akihiko Yamagishi, Sanjay S. Limaye
  • Organizer: The 74th Fujihara Seminar / International Venus Conference 2019
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Life Detection Microscope for Venus Cloud Particles (2019)
  • Author(s): Satoshi Sasaki, Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Keigo Enya, Atsuo Miyakawa, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui, Sohsuke Ohno, Akihiko Yamagishi, Sanjay S. Limaye
  • Organizer: AbSciCon 2019
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Life Detection Microscope (LDM) for Mars surface in situ observation (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Satoshi Sasaki, Akihiko Yamagishi, Takehiko Satoh, Atsuo Miyakawa, Eiichi Imai, Kensei Kobayashi, Yoko Kebukawa, Tomoka Okada, Keigo Enya, Hikaru Yabuta, Takeshi Naganuma, Hajime Mita, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui
  • Organizer: AbSciCon 2019
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Life-signature Detection Microscope for Cloud Layer Particles (2019)
  • Author(s): Satoshi Sasaki, Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Keigo Enya, Atsuo Miyakawa, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui, Sohsuke Ohno, Akihiko Yamagishi, Sanjay S. Limaye
  • Organizer: Venera-D Landing Sites selection and Cloud Layer Habitability Workshop
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Microscope for Venus Cloud Particle Observation (2019)
  • Author(s): Satoshi Sasaki, Yoshitaka Yoshimura, Keigo Enya, Atsuo Miyakawa, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomohiro Usui, Sohsuke Ohno, Akihiko Yamagishi, Sanjay S. Limaye
  • Organizer: OKINAWA COLLOIDS 2019
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Book] Astrobiology - From the Origins of Life to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (2019)
  • Author(s): Yoshitaka Yoshimura
  • Total Pages: 465
  • Publisher: Springer