Life detection on Mars is an important topic that includes a direct search for biomarkers. This requires instruments for in situ biomarker detection that are compact, lightweight, and able to withstand operations in space. Solid-state nanopores are excellent candidates that allow fast single-molecule detection. They can withstand high temperatures and be sterilized to minimize planetary contamination. The instruments are portable with low-power requirements. We demonstrate a few key results in advancing the use of nanopores for in-space applications. First, we developed modified deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction protocols to extract DNA from Mars analog soils. Second, we used silicon nitride nanopores to demonstrate the detection of extracted DNA and corresponding current characteristics. The yields and properties of extracted DNA (e.g., estimated diameters) varied somewhat by soil types, extraction methods, and nanopores used. The yields varied from a minimum of 0.9 ng DNA/g soil for a magnesium carbonate sample from Lake Salda to a maximum of 210 ng DNA/g soil for a calcium carbonate sample from Trona Pinnacles. For a given soil type, yields from different methods varied by a factor of up to 50. These observations motivate future studies with a broader range of Mars-like soils and improved instruments to increase signal-to-noise-ratio at higher measurement bandwidths.
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