This is both interesting and important, the first time genetic engineering has been used to adapt life for the conditions on another planet. The pioneer organisms on Mars (the first to establish themselves in the soil, given enough warmth to melt the ice) will face many challenges, including perchlorates. This genetically engineered microbe not only endures the perchlorates but produces a useful product. However, it can't survive outside a bioreactor, which (glass half full) means the planetary protection risk is reduced, but (glass half empty) means something more would be needed to allow a green planet. One possibility, mentioned in the bioarxiv post (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.14.748363v1), is using Mars-produced bioplastic to manufacture more bioplastic bioreactors, as proposed by the Wordsworth group at Harvard.
This is both interesting and important, the first time genetic engineering has been used to adapt life for the conditions on another planet. The pioneer organisms on Mars (the first to establish themselves in the soil, given enough warmth to melt the ice) will face many challenges, including perchlorates. This genetically engineered microbe not only endures the perchlorates but produces a useful product. However, it can't survive outside a bioreactor, which (glass half full) means the planetary protection risk is reduced, but (glass half empty) means something more would be needed to allow a green planet. One possibility, mentioned in the bioarxiv post (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.14.748363v1), is using Mars-produced bioplastic to manufacture more bioplastic bioreactors, as proposed by the Wordsworth group at Harvard.
What if/when it mutates?
They make the point that this particular microbe can't terraform Mars on its own. If it gets out of its bioreactor it dies so fast it can't evolve.
https://blog.pioneer-labs.org/p/when-is-a-microbe-safe-to-se...
But if you WANT to terraform Mars evolution would be useful. Recursive self-improvement! :P