Life in Space: From Molecules to Extremophiles
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Astrobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 April 2026 | Viewed by 11
Special Issue Editors
Interests: microbiology; astrobiology; molecular biology
Interests: astrobiology; extreme environments; cyanobacteria; molecular biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Astrobiology addresses some of the most intriguing and fundamental questions in science: how do living systems originate, persist, and adapt beyond Earth? From the stability of biomolecules to the remarkable resilience of extremophiles, exploring life under extraterrestrial conditions allows us to answer these questions.
The Earth hosts a multitude of extreme environments (cold and hot deserts, polar ice sheets, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, hypersaline lakes, and subglacial), whose characteristics resemble celestial bodies in our solar system. In these environments, the physico-chemical properties partially resemble extraterrestrial environments, and they could clarify the origin, the limits and adaptation mechanisms of life, the mineralogical or geochemical context, and support and interpret data sent back from the planetary space missions.
The organisms inhabiting these environments display extraordinary metabolic versatility, genetic adaptations, and protective mechanisms, making them excellent candidates to support the search for life on other planets, such as Mars, Europa, or Enceladus. Studies at the molecular level, including investigations of DNA repair pathways, protein folding and stability, membrane composition, and metabolic regulation, have revealed the biochemical foundations of such resistance. Recent advances in spaceflight experimentation, ground-based simulations, and multi-omics technologies are providing unprecedented insight into the responses of molecules, cells, and whole organisms to extraterrestrial stressors. These findings have far-reaching implications for planetary protection, the design of life-detection strategies, and the development of biotechnological innovations relevant to long-term human space exploration.
In this Special Issue, contributions will address the ecology, physiology, biochemistry, and genetics of organisms in space and extreme environments, integrating classical experimental methods with state-of-the-art analytical and computational tools. Together, these studies will expand our understanding of the limits of life and inform strategies for exploring, detecting, and potentially sustaining life beyond Earth.
Dr. Alessia Cassaro
Dr. Daniela Billi
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- astrobiology
- life in space
- extreme environments
- extremophiles
- adaptation mechanisms
- ground-based simulation
- planetary protection
- life detection strategies
- spaceflight experiments
- synthetic biology
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