A LIFE MARKER CHIP FOR THE SPECIFIC MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF LIFE EXPERIMENT

摘要

The Specific Molecular Identification of Life Experiment (SMILE) represents the first in-situ attempt to search for a range of molecules associated with extinct/extant life on Mars. SMILE will measure specific molecules using several electrical and optical techniques, and has been proposed as part of the Pasteur payload onboard the ExoMars astrobiology mission (Vago et al, 2003). Target molecules include organic biomarkers, molecules exhibiting chiral partitioning, and hereditary macromolecules (DNA/RNA) along with organic control molecules of non-biogenic origin. SMILE consists of three subsystems. The subject of this paper is the molecular receptor array in which large numbers of receptors are deposited on the measurement plane of an imaging interferometer (also forming the basis of an UV-NIR imaging Fourier spectrometer), read out by an imaging detector, enabling many molecular targets to be measured simultaneously. Recent developments in the micro-fabrication of transducer arrays, micro-fluidics and artificial molecular receptors, as well as recombinant antibody technology makes possible the realization of this compact and robust "Life Marker Chip". The remaining subsystems are a capillary electrophoresis system ("MUSE") and polymerase chain reaction system ("MARS").