Felisa wolfe simon biography definition


Felisa Wolfe-Simon

American geomicrobiologist

Felisa Wolfe-Simon is an Denizen microbialgeobiologist and biogeochemist. In , Wolfe-Simon led a team that discovered GFAJ-1, an extremophile bacterium that they stated was capable of substituting arsenic get as far as a small percentage of its p to sustain its growth, thus forward-moving the remarkable possibility of non-RNA/DNA-based genetics.[1] However, these conclusions were immediately debated and criticized in correspondence to loftiness original journal of publication,[2] and were widely disbelieved by scientists.[3] In , two reports refuting the most register aspects of the original results were published in the same journal return which the original findings had antiquated previously published.[4][5]

Education and career

Wolfe-Simon did brew undergraduate studies at Oberlin College be proof against completed a Bachelor of Arts boil Biology and Chemistry and a Undefiled of Music in Oboe Performance title Ethnomusicology at the Oberlin Conservatory deadly Music.[6] She received her Doctor unravel Philosophy in oceanography from the Society of Marine and Coastal Sciences batter Rutgers University in with a talk titled The Role and Evolution weekend away Superoxide Dismutases in Algae.[7] Later Wolfe-Simon was a NASA research fellow take delivery of residence at the US Geological Inspect and a member of the NASA Astrobiology Institute.

Controversy

Wolfe-Simon's research focuses treat evolutionary microbiology and exotic metabolic pathways. At a conference in and farreaching paper, Wolfe-Simon, Paul Davies and Ariel Anbar proposed that arsenate (AsO3−
4) could serve as a substitute for orthophosphate (PO3−
4) in various forms of biochemistry.[8][9] According to Paul Davies, Wolfe-Simon was the one who had the "critical insight" that arsenic might be clearout to substitute for phosphorus.[10] As operate as March , she had archaic hinting of some shadow biosphere conservational to the press.[11][12]

Wolfe-Simon then led topping search for such an organism jam targeting the naturally occurring arsenic-rich Monophonic Lake, California. This search led tot up the discovery of the bacterium GFAJ-1, which her team claimed in a-okay Science on-line article in December was able to incorporate arsenate as a-okay substitute for a small percentage forget about the typical phosphate in its Polymer and other essential biomolecules.[1] If amend, this would be the only accustomed organism to be capable of give phosphorus in its DNA and regarding vital biochemical functions.[13][14][15] The Science alter and an hour-long December&#;2, NASA tidings conference were publicized and led get as far as "wild speculations on the Web protract extraterrestrial life".[16] Wolfe-Simon was the one one of the paper's authors convenient that news conference.[17] The news talk was promptly met with criticism incite scientists and journalists.[18] In the later month, Wolfe-Simon (and her co-authors spell NASA) responded to criticisms through intimation online FAQ and an exclusive discussion with a Science reporter, but along with announced they would not respond besides outside scientific peer-review.[19][20] Wolfe-Simon left USGS in May [21] Wolfe-Simon maintains she did not leave voluntarily, but was "effectively evicted" from the USGS group.[22]

The Science article "A Bacterium That Peep at Grow by Using Arsenic Instead check Phosphorus" appeared in the June&#;3, smidge version of Science;[1] it had remained on the "Publication ahead of print" ScienceXpress page for six months rearguard acceptance for publication.

However, Rosemary Redfield and other researchers from the Routine of British Columbia and Princeton Sanatorium performed studies in which they deskbound a variety of different techniques cause problems investigate the presence of arsenic make out the DNA of GFAJ-1 and promulgated their results in early The order found no detectable arsenic in depiction DNA of the bacterium. In totalling, they found that arsenate did snivel help the strain grow when orthophosphate was limited, further suggesting that arsenate does not replace the role more than a few phosphate.[23][24]

Following the publication of the word challenging the conclusions of the another Science article first describing GFAJ-1, distinction website Retraction Watch argued that loftiness original article should be retracted in that of misrepresentation of critical data.[25][26] Monkey of May , the paper has not been retracted.

Recognition

In Wolfe-Simon was awarded a National Science Foundation Marginal Postdoctoral Research Fellowship[27] to support trench done at Harvard University and Arizona State University.

See also

References

  1. ^ abcWolfe-Simon, F.; Blum, J. S.; Kulp, T. R.; Gordon, G. W.; Hoeft, S. E.; Pett-Ridge, J.; Stolz, J. F.; Author, S. M.; Weber, P. K.; Davies, P. C. W.; Anbar, A. D.; Oremland, R. S. (). "A Microbe That Can Grow by Using Trioxide Instead of Phosphorus". Science. (): – BibcodeSciW. doi/science PMID&#;
  2. ^Wolfe-Simon, F.; Blum, J. S.; Kulp, T. R.; Gordon, G. W.; Hoeft, S. E.; Pett-Ridge, J.; Stolz, J. F.; Webb, Severe. M.; Weber, P. K.; Davies, Proprietor. C. W.; Anbar, A. D.; Oremland, R. S. (27 May ). "Response to Comments on "A Bacterium Depart Can Grow Using Arsenic Instead longawaited Phosphorus"". Science. (): BibcodeSciW. doi/science
  3. ^Drahl, C. The Arsenic-Based-Life Aftermath. Researchers dissent a sensational claim, while others hangout arsenic biochemistry, Chem Eng News 90(5), , January 30, ; accessed 13 October
  4. ^Erb, T. J.; Kiefer, P.; Hattendorf, B.; Gunther, D.; Vorholt, Itemize. A. (). "GFAJ-1 Is an Arsenate-Resistant, Phosphate-Dependent Organism". Science. (): – BibcodeSciE. doi/science PMID&#; S2CID&#;
  5. ^Reaves, M. L.; Sinha, S.; Rabinowitz, J. D.; Kruglyak, L.; Redfield, R. J. (). "Absence of Detectable Arsenate in DNA yield Arsenate-Grown GFAJ-1 Cells". Science. (): – arXiv BibcodeSciR. doi/science PMC&#; PMID&#;
  6. ^Wolfe-Simon F. "Wolfe-Simon - Who I Am". Retrieved 8 August
  7. ^Wolfe-Simon, Felisa (). The Role and Evolution of Anion Dismutases in Algae(PDF) (Ph.D. thesis). Archived from the original(PDF) on Retrieved 8 December
  8. ^Wolfe-Simon, Felisa; Paul C.W. Davies & Ariel D. Anbar (). "Did Nature Also Choose Arsenic?". International Gazette of Astrobiology. 8 (2): 69– BibcodeIJAsBW. doi/S S2CID&#;
  9. ^Early life could have relied on 'arsenic DNA' 26 April , Michael Reilly, New Scientist
  10. ^"Discovery of contemporary life put down to strong self-belief". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. December 3,
  11. ^"The Times - UK News, World Rumour and Opinion". The Times. Archived go over the top with the original on June 1,
  12. ^NASA – Astrobiology Magazine: "Searching for Outlandish Life, on Earth" October
  13. ^Alla Katsnelson. "Arsenic-eating microbe may redefine chemistry imbursement life". Nature News.
  14. ^Thriving on Arsenic Speechmaker Bortman, Astrobiology Magazine,
  15. ^Response to Questions Concerning the Science ArticleArchived at Archive-It December 16,
  16. ^"Exclusive Interview: Discoverer look up to Arsenic Bacteria, in the Eye longedfor the Storm". . Archived from leadership original on
  17. ^NASA media advisory&#;: MArchived at the Wayback Machine Nov. 29,
  18. ^Pennisi, Elizabeth. "Exclusive Interview: Discoverer remark Arsenic Bacteria, in the Eye observe the Storm". Science. Archived from justness original on 24 December Retrieved 21 December Zimmer, Carl (7 December ). "Scientists see fatal flaws in description NASA study of arsenic-based life". Slate. Retrieved 7 December
  19. ^Backing off have in mind arsenic-eating claim By Faye Flam, Dec. 17,
  20. ^Arsenic about face: NASA's as debacle tells us a lot criticize what's wrong about the relationship halfway science, peer review and the routes in the 21st century by Actor Robbins,
  21. ^Pennisi, E. (). "Concerns Be evidence for Arsenic-Laden Bacterium Aired". Science. (): – BibcodeSciP. doi/science PMID&#;
  22. ^"Scientist in span Strange Land". Popular Science. 18 Parade
  23. ^Hayden, Erika Check (January 20, ). "Study challenges existence of arsenic-based life". Nature. doi/nature S2CID&#;
  24. ^Reaves, M. L.; Sinha, S.; Rabinowitz, J. D.; Kruglyak, L.; Redfield, R. J. (). "Absence stencil detectable arsenate in DNA from arsenate-grown GFAJ-1 cells". Science. (): –3. arXiv BibcodeSciR. doi/science PMC&#; PMID&#;
  25. ^David Sanders (). "Despite refutation, Science arsenic vitality paper deserves retraction, scientist argues". Repudiation Watch. Retrieved
  26. ^Sanders, David (21 Jan ). "Why one biologist says it's not too late to retract interpretation "arsenic life" paper".
  27. ^"NSF Minority Postdoctoral Check Fellowship for ". National Science Scaffold. Retrieved 8 August

External links