Microorganisms (such as bacteria and viruses) could exist beyond Earth, and there are plans to search for signs of them on Mars and some of Saturn and Jupiter's moons.
Such organisms might be based on different amino acids (key building blocks of all life) than lifeforms on Earth.
Scientists from the universities of Aberdeen and Exeter tested how mammal immune cells responded to peptides (combinations of amino acids) containing two amino acids that are rare on Earth but are commonly found on meteorites.
The immune response to these "alien" peptides was "less efficient" than the reaction to those common on Earth.
The study — conducted in mice, whose immune cells function in a similar way to those of humans — suggests extra-terrestrial microorganisms could pose a threat to space missions, and on Earth if they were brought back.
"The world is now only too aware of the immune challenge posed by the emergence of brand new pathogens," said Professor Neil Gow, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact) at the University of Exeter.
"As a thought experiment, we wondered what would happen if we were to be exposed to a microorganism that had been retrieved from another planet or moon where life had evolved.The study was led by scientists at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, which moved from Aberdeen to Exeter last year.
"Some very unusual organic building blocks exist outside of the planet Earth, and these could be used to make up the cells of such alien microbes.
"Would our immune system be able to detect proteins made from these non-terrestrial building blocks if such organisms were discovered and were brought back to Earth and then accidently escaped?
"Our paper addresses this hypothetical event."
Researchers examined the reaction of T cells, which are key to immune responses, to peptides containing amino acids commonly found on meteorites: isovaline and α-aminoisobutyric acid.
The response was less efficient, with activation levels of 15% and 61% - compared to 82% and 91% when exposed to peptides made entirely of amino acids that are common on Earth.
"Life on Earth relies on essential 22 amino acids," said lead author Dr. Katja Schaefer, of the University of Exeter.
"We hypothesised that lifeforms that evolved in an environment of different amino acids might contain them in their structure.The discovery of liquid water at several locations in the solar system raises the possibility that microbial life may have evolved outside Earth, and could therefore be accidently introduced into the Earth's ecosystem.
"We chemically synthetised 'exo-peptides' containing amino acids that are rare on Earth, and tested whether a mammal immune system could detect them.
"Our investigation showed that these exo-peptides were still processed, and T cells were still activated, but these responses were less efficient than for 'ordinary' Earth peptides.
"We therefore speculate that contact with extra-terrestrial microorganisms might pose an immunological risk for space missions aiming to retrieve organisms from exoplanets and moons."
Insofar as communication occurs between cells and between organisms and between humans can also be seen as between every part and every other part. Our models for communication are image and form based, but the underlying nature of Universal Communication is of resonance, frequency, and angular momentum.
The lockdown of communication to a masked and filtered mind, is a body set frail against hostile and malign intent. The terrorist or the enemy can be anything or anyone as the principle of attacking our sins in the other as a basis for righteously persisting them as a narrative self-justification set against looking within.
Looking within is not thinking, but noticing the invisible structuring of our own thought, emotion and reaction even as it is in act. Rather 'looking OUT' as a way of denying source, cause, or true context, is a personal and social masking mind of unwillingness and unreadiness to see or notice or own, our own participation in an experience that can be blamed on the 'other' as a source of grievance, upon which to raise a self in vengeance.
The 4th Reich intends a Bio-Security State - globally.
The SOTT quote of the day on this page is: But the substitution or complement of bombs with biohazards - real or imagined, operates the same transfer of willing sacrifice of freedom for a falsely flagged threat and falsely framed security.
How does life adapt and evolve to changing and challenging environments - which includes our psychic-emotional context?