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Gäb F, Bierbaum G, Wirth R, Bultmann C, Palmer B, Janssen K, Karačić S. Enzymatic phosphatization of fish scales-a pathway for fish fossilization. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8347. [PMID: 38594297 PMCID: PMC11003971 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59025-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Phosphatized fish fossils occur in various locations worldwide. Although these fossils have been intensively studied over the past decades they remain a matter of ongoing research. The mechanism of the permineralization reaction itself remains still debated in the community. The mineralization in apatite of a whole fish requires a substantial amount of phosphate which is scarce in seawater, so the origin of the excess is unknown. Previous research has shown that alkaline phosphatase, a ubiquitous enzyme, can increase the phosphate content in vitro in a medium to the degree of saturation concerning apatite. We applied this principle to an experimental setup where fish scales were exposed to commercial bovine alkaline phosphatase. We analyzed the samples with SEM and TEM and found that apatite crystals had formed on the remaining soft tissue. A comparison of these newly formed apatite crystals with fish fossils from the Solnhofen and Santana fossil deposits showed striking similarities. Both are made up of almost identically sized and shaped nano-apatites. This suggests a common formation process: the spontaneous precipitation from an oversaturated solution. The excess activity of alkaline phosphatase could explain that effect. Therefore, our findings could provide insight into the formation of well-preserved fossils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Gäb
- Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gabriele Bierbaum
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Richard Wirth
- Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ), Section 3.5 Interface Geochemistry, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Christoph Bultmann
- Radiomed Group Practice for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Wiesbaden, Germany
| | - Brianne Palmer
- Bonn Institute of Organismic Biology, Division of Palaeontology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kathrin Janssen
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sabina Karačić
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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2
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Tripp M, Schwark L, Brocks JJ, Mayer P, Whiteside JH, Rickard W, Greenwood PF, Grice K. Rapid encapsulation of true ferns and arborane/fernane compounds fossilised in siderite concretions supports analytical distinction of plant fossils. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19851. [PMID: 37963973 PMCID: PMC10646143 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47009-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Fossilised true ferns (Pecopteris sp.) preserved in siderite concretions from the Mazon Creek Lagerstätte (Illinois) presented a unique opportunity to characterise the organic signatures of these late Carboniferous plants. Localised analyses of true fern fossils showed several highly abundant phytohopanoids and fernane/arborane derived aromatic products, which were present only negligibly within their siderite matrix, as well as from other types of fossilised plants. These terpenoids had been recognised in some extant ferns, but scarcely in sedimentary organic matter and their exact source remained ambiguous. The present fossil biomarker data confirms an ancient true fern origin. Furthermore, the excellent concretion preservation of a series of related terpenoid products provided a rare insight into their diagenetic formation. The benign properties of carbonate concretions could be exploited further for biomarker evidence of other fossilised organisms, with one important caveat being that biomarker signals attributed to isolated fossils be significantly distinct from background organic matter pervading the concretion matrix. For instance, hydrocarbon profiles of seed ferns (pteridosperms) and articulates (horsetails) also preserved in Mazon Creek concretions were indistinguishable from separate analysis of their concretion matrix, preventing biomarker recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Tripp
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
| | - Lorenz Schwark
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
- Organic Geochemistry Unit, Institute of Geoscience, Christian-Albrechts-University, 24118, Kiel, Germany
| | - Jochen J Brocks
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Paul Mayer
- The Field Museum, 1400 S Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - Jessica H Whiteside
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - William Rickard
- John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Paul F Greenwood
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Kliti Grice
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
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3
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Dhami NK, Greenwood PF, Poropat SF, Tripp M, Elson A, Vijay H, Brosnan L, Holman AI, Campbell M, Hopper P, Smith L, Jian A, Grice K. Microbially mediated fossil concretions and their characterization by the latest methodologies: a review. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1225411. [PMID: 37840715 PMCID: PMC10576451 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1225411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of well-preserved organic matter (OM) within mineral concretions has provided key insights into depositional and environmental conditions in deep time. Concretions of varied compositions, including carbonate, phosphate, and iron-based minerals, have been found to host exceptionally preserved fossils. Organic geochemical characterization of concretion-encapsulated OM promises valuable new information of fossil preservation, paleoenvironments, and even direct taxonomic information to further illuminate the evolutionary dynamics of our planet and its biota. Full exploitation of this largely untapped geochemical archive, however, requires a sophisticated understanding of the prevalence, formation controls and OM sequestration properties of mineral concretions. Past research has led to the proposal of different models of concretion formation and OM preservation. Nevertheless, the formation mechanisms and controls on OM preservation in concretions remain poorly understood. Here we provide a detailed review of the main types of concretions and formation pathways with a focus on the role of microbes and their metabolic activities. In addition, we provide a comprehensive account of organic geochemical, and complimentary inorganic geochemical, morphological, microbial and paleontological, analytical methods, including recent advancements, relevant to the characterization of concretions and sequestered OM. The application and outcome of several early organic geochemical studies of concretion-impregnated OM are included to demonstrate how this underexploited geo-biological record can provide new insights into the Earth's evolutionary record. This paper also attempts to shed light on the current status of this research and major challenges that lie ahead in the further application of geo-paleo-microbial and organic geochemical research of concretions and their host fossils. Recent efforts to bridge the knowledge and communication gaps in this multidisciplinary research area are also discussed, with particular emphasis on research with significance for interpreting the molecular record in extraordinarily preserved fossils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navdeep K. Dhami
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Paul F. Greenwood
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Stephen F. Poropat
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Madison Tripp
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Amy Elson
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Hridya Vijay
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Luke Brosnan
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Alex I. Holman
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Matthew Campbell
- The Trace and Environmental DNA lab (trEND), School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Peter Hopper
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Lisa Smith
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Andrew Jian
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Kliti Grice
- Western Australian – Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre (WA-OIGC), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Institute for Geoscience Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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4
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Chen Y, Sun Y, Liu L, Shen J, Qu Y, Pan Y, Lin W. Biosignatures Preserved in Carbonate Nodules from the Western Qaidam Basin, NW China: Implications for Life Detection on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:172-182. [PMID: 36577041 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The search for organic matter on Mars is one of the major objectives of Mars exploration. However, limited detection of organic signals by Mars rovers to date demands further investigation on this topic. The Curiosity rover recently discovered numerous nodules in Gale Crater on Mars. These nodules have been considered to precipitate in the neutral-to-alkaline and saline diagenetic fluids and could be beneficial for organic preservation. Here, we examine this possibility by studying the carbonate nodules in the western Qaidam Basin, NW China, one of the terrestrial analog sites for Mars. Fourier transform infrared spectra of the carbonate nodules reveal that the aliphatic and aromatic molecules can be readily preserved inside nodules in Mars-like environments. The chain-branching index of the Qaidam nodules suggests that the diagenetic fluids where nodules precipitated were able to support diverse microbial communities that could vary with the water salinity. Findings of this study provide new perspectives on the astrobiological significance of nodules in Gale Crater and the further detection of organic matter on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Liu
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxun Shen
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuangao Qu
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Yongxin Pan
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Lin
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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5
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Bobrovskiy I, Nagovitsyn A, Hope JM, Luzhnaya E, Brocks JJ. Guts, gut contents, and feeding strategies of Ediacaran animals. Curr Biol 2022; 32:5382-5389.e3. [PMID: 36417903 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.10.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The oldest animals appear in the fossil record among Ediacara biota communities. They prelude animal-dominated ecosystems of the Phanerozoic and may hold clues to the appearance of modern animal phyla in the Cambrian explosion. However, little is known about the phylogeny of the Ediacaran organisms and even less about their diet and feeding behavior.1,2,3 An exception is mollusc-like Kimberella, for which a fossilized gut, feeding traces, and even potential coprolites have been found.4,5 By contrast, Ediacaran organic-walled tubes, such as Sabellidites and Calyptrina, are thought to belong to tube worms comparable with modern Siboglinidae that have no gut but gain their nutrition from symbiotic bacteria.6,7 Here, we examine the gut contents of Ediacaran animals using biomarker molecules. We show that 558-million-year (Ma)-old tube worm-like Calyptrina and mollusc-like Kimberella possessed a gut and shared a diet of green algae and bacteria. Despite their ancient age, sterol metabolism within the gut of both organisms was already comparable to extant invertebrates.8Dickinsonia, one of the key Ediacaran animals, show no traces of dietary molecules, indicating a different feeding mode and possible external digestion analogous to modern Placozoa. Lipid biomarkers uncover a range of feeding strategies in Ediacaran communities, highlighting true eumetazoan physiology of some Ediacaran animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Bobrovskiy
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | | | - Janet M Hope
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Ekaterina Luzhnaya
- Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Jochen J Brocks
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
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6
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Tripp M, Wiemann J, Brocks J, Mayer P, Schwark L, Grice K. Fossil Biomarkers and Biosignatures Preserved in Coprolites Reveal Carnivorous Diets in the Carboniferous Mazon Creek Ecosystem. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11091289. [PMID: 36138768 PMCID: PMC9495973 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The reconstruction of ancient trophic networks is pivotal to our understanding of ecosystem function and change through time. However, inferring dietary relationships in enigmatic ecosystems dominated by organisms without modern analogues, such as the Carboniferous Mazon Creek fauna, has previously been considered challenging: preserved coprolites often do not retain sufficient morphology to identify the dietary composition. Here, we analysed n = 3 Mazon Creek coprolites in concretions for dietary signals in preserved biomarkers, stable carbon isotope data, and macromolecular composition. Cholesteroids, metazoan markers of cholesterol, show an increased abundance in the sampled coprolites (86 to 99% of the total steranes) compared to the surrounding sediment, indicating an endogenous nature of preserved organics. Presence of unaltered 5α-cholestan-3β-ol and coprostanol underline the exceptional molecular preservation of the coprolites, and reveal a carnivorous diet for the coprolite producer. Statistical analyses of in situ Raman spectra targeting coprolite carbonaceous remains support a metazoan affinity of the digested fossil remains, and suggest a high trophic level for the coprolite producer. These currently oldest, intact dietary stanols, combined with exquisitely preserved macromolecular biosignatures in Carboniferous fossils offer a novel source of trophic information. Molecular and biosignature preservation is facilitated by rapid sedimentary encapsulation of the coprolites within days to months after egestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Tripp
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (K.G.)
| | - Jasmina Wiemann
- Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Yale University, 210 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Jochen Brocks
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Paul Mayer
- The Field Museum, 1400 S Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - Lorenz Schwark
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
- Organic Geochemistry Unit, Institute of Geoscience, Christian-Albrechts-University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Kliti Grice
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (K.G.)
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7
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Siljeström S, Neubeck A, Steele A. Detection of porphyrins in vertebrate fossils from the Messel and implications for organic preservation in the fossil record. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269568. [PMID: 35767560 PMCID: PMC9242450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Organic molecules preserved in fossils provide a wealth of new information about ancient life. The discovery of almost unaltered complex organic molecules in well-preserved fossils raise the question of how common such occurrences are in the fossil record, how to differentiate between endogenous and exogenous sources for the organic matter and what promotes such preservation. The aim of this study was the in-situ analysis of a well-preserved vertebrate fossil from 48 Ma Eocene sediments in the Messel pit, Germany for preservation of complex biomolecules. The fossil was characterized using a variety of techniques including time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. A suite of organic molecules was detected, including porphyrins, which given the context of the detected signal are most probably diagenetically altered heme originating from the fossil though a microbial contribution cannot be completely ruled out. Diagenetic changes to the porphyrin structure were observed that included the exchange of the central iron by nickel. Further analyses on the geochemistry of the fossil and surrounding sediments showed presence of pyrite and aluminosilicates, most likely clay. In addition, a carbonate and calcium phosphate dominated crust has formed around the fossil. This suggests that several different processes are involved in the preservation of the fossil and the organic molecules associated with it. Similar processes seem to have also been involved in preservation of heme in fossils from other localities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Siljeström
- Department of Methodology, Textiles and Medical Technology, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Anna Neubeck
- Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andrew Steele
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Earth and Planetary Laboratory, Washington, DC, United States of America
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8
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Mojarro A, Cui X, Zhang X, Jost AB, Bergmann KD, Vinther J, Summons RE. Comparative soft-tissue preservation in Holocene-age capelin concretions. GEOBIOLOGY 2022; 20:377-398. [PMID: 34747129 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Determining how soft tissues are preserved and persist through geologic time are continuing challenge because decay begins immediately after senescence while diagenetic transformations generally progress over days to millions of years. However, in recent years, carbonate concretions containing partially-to-fully decayed macroorganisms have proven to be remarkable windows into the diagenetic continuum revealing insights into the fossilization process. This is because most concretions are the result of biologically induced mineral precipitation caused by the localized decay of organic matter, which oftentimes preserves a greater biological signal relative to their host sediment. Here we present a comparative lipid biomarker study investigating processes associated with soft-tissue preservation within Holocene-age carbonate concretions that have encapsulated modern capelin (Mallotus villosus). We focus on samples collected from two depositional settings that have produced highly contrasting preservation end-members: (1) Kangerlussuaq, Greenland: a marine environment, which, due to isostatic rebound, has exposed strata containing concretions exhibiting exceptional soft-tissue preservation (6-7 kya), and (2) Greens Creek, Ottawa, Canada: a paleo brackish-to-freshwater marine excursion containing concretions exhibiting skeletal remains (~11 kya). Lipid biomarker analysis reveals endogenous capelin tissues and productive waters at Kangerlussuaq that are in sharp contrast to Greens Creek concretions, which lack appreciable capelin and environmental signals. Comparable distributions of bacterial fatty acids and statistical analyses suggest soft-tissue preservation within concretions is agnostic to specific heterotrophic decay communities. We, therefore, interpret preservation within carbonate concretions may represent a race between microbially induced authigenic precipitation and decay. Namely, factors resulting in exceptional preservation within concretions likely include: (1) organic matter input, (2) rate of decay, (3) carbonate saturation, (4) porewater velocity, and (5) rate of authigenic (carbonate) precipitation resulting in arrested decay/bacterial respiration due to cementing pore spaces limiting the diffusion of electron acceptors into the decay foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Mojarro
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xingqian Cui
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xiaowen Zhang
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Adam B Jost
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristin D Bergmann
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jakob Vinther
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Roger E Summons
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Tait AW, Wilson SA, Tomkins AG, Hamilton JL, Gagen EJ, Holman AI, Grice K, Preston LJ, Paterson DJ, Southam G. Preservation of Terrestrial Microorganisms and Organics Within Alteration Products of Chondritic Meteorites from the Nullarbor Plain, Australia. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:399-415. [PMID: 35100042 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Meteorites that fall to Earth quickly become contaminated with terrestrial microorganisms. These meteorites are out of chemical equilibrium in the environments where they fall, and equilibration promotes formation of low-temperature alteration minerals that can entomb contaminant microorganisms and thus preserve them as microfossils. Given the well-understood chemistry of meteorites and their recent discovery on Mars by rovers, a similarly weathered meteorite on Mars could preserve organic and fossil evidence of a putative past biosphere at the martian surface. Here, we used several techniques to assess the potential of alteration minerals to preserve microfossils and biogenic organics in terrestrially weathered ordinary chondrites from the Nullarbor Plain, Australia. We used acid etching of ordinary chondrites to reveal entombed fungal hyphae, modern biofilms, and diatoms within alteration minerals. We employed synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy of alteration mineral veins to map the distribution of redox-sensitive elements of relevance to chemolithotrophic organisms, such as Mn-cycling bacteria. We assessed the biogenicity of fungal hyphae within alteration veins using a combination of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which showed that alteration minerals sequester and preserve organic molecules at various levels of decomposition. Our combined analyses results show that fossil microorganisms and the organic molecules they produce are preserved within calcite-gypsum admixtures in meteorites. Furthermore, the distributions of redox-sensitive elements (e.g., Mn) within alteration minerals are localized, which qualitatively suggests that climatically or microbially facilitated element mobilization occurred during the meteorite's residency on Earth. If returned as part of a sample suite from the martian surface, ordinary chondrites could preserve similar, recognizable evidence of putative past life and/or environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair W Tait
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Siobhan A Wilson
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Andrew G Tomkins
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica L Hamilton
- School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emma J Gagen
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alex I Holman
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kliti Grice
- Western Australian Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, The Institute for Geoscience Research, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Louisa J Preston
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Gordon Southam
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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10
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Yoshida H, Kuma R, Hasegawa H, Katsuta N, Sirono SI, Minami M, Nishimoto S, Takagi N, Kadowaki S, Metcalfe R. Syngenetic rapid growth of ellipsoidal silica concretions with bitumen cores. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4230. [PMID: 33608584 PMCID: PMC7895967 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83651-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Isolated silica concretions in calcareous sediments have unique shapes and distinct sharp boundaries and are considered to form by diagenesis of biogenic siliceous grains. However, the details and rates of syngenetic formation of these spherical concretions are still not fully clear. Here we present a model for concretion growth by diffusion, with chemical buffering involving decomposition of organic matter leading to a pH change in the pore-water and preservation of residual bitumen cores in the concretions. The model is compatible with some pervasive silica precipitation. Based on the observed elemental distributions, C, N, S, bulk carbon isotope and carbon preference index (CPI) measurements of the silica-enriched concretions, bitumen cores and surrounding calcareous rocks, the rate of diffusive concretion growth during early diagenesis is shown using a diffusion-growth diagram. This approach reveals that ellipsoidal SiO2 concretions with a diameter of a few cm formed rapidly and the precipitated silica preserved the bitumen cores. Our work provides a generalized chemical buffering model involving organic matter that can explain the rapid syngenetic growth of other types of silica accumulation in calcareous sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ryusei Kuma
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Hasegawa
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan
| | | | - Sin-Iti Sirono
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masayo Minami
- Institute of Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | | | | | - Seiji Kadowaki
- University Museum, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Richard Metcalfe
- Quintessa, Videcom House, Newtown Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, UK
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McCoy VE, Wiemann J, Lamsdell JC, Whalen CD, Lidgard S, Mayer P, Petermann H, Briggs DEG. Chemical signatures of soft tissues distinguish between vertebrates and invertebrates from the Carboniferous Mazon Creek Lagerstätte of Illinois. GEOBIOLOGY 2020; 18:560-565. [PMID: 32347003 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The chemical composition of fossil soft tissues is a potentially powerful and yet underutilized tool for elucidating the affinity of problematic fossil organisms. In some cases, it has proven difficult to assign a problematic fossil even to the invertebrates or vertebrates (more generally chordates) based on often incompletely preserved morphology alone, and chemical composition may help to resolve such questions. Here, we use in situ Raman microspectroscopy to investigate the chemistry of a diverse array of invertebrate and vertebrate fossils from the Pennsylvanian Mazon Creek Lagerstätte of Illinois, and we generate a ChemoSpace through principal component analysis (PCA) of the in situ Raman spectra. Invertebrate soft tissues characterized by chitin (polysaccharide) fossilization products and vertebrate soft tissues characterized by protein fossilization products plot in completely separate, non-overlapping regions of the ChemoSpace, demonstrating the utility of certain soft tissue molecular signatures as biomarkers for the original soft tissue composition of fossil organisms. The controversial problematicum Tullimonstrum, known as the Tully Monster, groups with the vertebrates, providing strong evidence of a vertebrate rather than invertebrate affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E McCoy
- Department of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jasmina Wiemann
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James C Lamsdell
- Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | | | | | - Paul Mayer
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Holger Petermann
- Department of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Derek E G Briggs
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven, CT, USA
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Influence of temperature, salinity and Mg 2+:Ca 2+ ratio on microbially-mediated formation of Mg-rich carbonates by Virgibacillus strains isolated from a sabkha environment. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19633. [PMID: 31873136 PMCID: PMC6928219 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56144-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have demonstrated that microbes facilitate the incorporation of Mg2+ into carbonate minerals, leading to the formation of potential dolomite precursors. Most microbes that are capable of mediating Mg-rich carbonates have been isolated from evaporitic environments in which temperature and salinity are higher than those of average marine environments. However, how such physicochemical factors affect and concur with microbial activity influencing mineral precipitation remains poorly constrained. Here, we report the results of laboratory precipitation experiments using two mineral-forming Virgibacillus strains and one non-mineral-forming strain of Bacillus licheniformis, all isolated from the Dohat Faishakh sabkha in Qatar. They were grown under different combinations of temperature (20°, 30°, 40 °C), salinity (3.5, 7.5, 10 NaCl %w/v), and Mg2+:Ca2+ ratios (1:1, 6:1 and 12:1). Our results show that the incorporation of Mg2+ into the carbonate minerals is significantly affected by all of the three tested factors. With a Mg2+:Ca2+ ratio of 1, no Mg-rich carbonates formed during the experiments. With a Mg2+:Ca2+ ratios of 6 and 12, multivariate analysis indicates that temperature has the highest impact followed by salinity and Mg2+:Ca2+ ratio. The outcome of this study suggests that warm and saline environments are particularly favourable for microbially mediated formation of Mg-rich carbonates and provides new insight for interpreting ancient dolomite formations.
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