An example of oxidative polymerization of unsaturated fatty acids as a preservation pathway for dinoflagellate organic matter

Versteegh, Gerard J.M.; Blokker, Peter; Wood, Gordon D.; Collinson, Margaret E.; Damsté, Jaap S. Sinninghe; Leeuw, J.W. de

doi:10.1016/j.orggeochem.2004.06.012

Cited by 78 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…7 cm depth, particularly with reductions in the C 18 unsaturated fatty acid (5) and the sugar (6). The unsaturated fatty acid (5) may have been depleted by microbial action and oxidation, or possibly oxidative polymerisation (Versteegh et al, 2004). Our study reflects results showing that polysaccharides are rapidly degraded by fungi and bacteria in the early aerobic stages of decomposition, in contrast to the lignin-related phenolics, which are relatively well preserved (Benner et al, 1984;Kirk and Farrell, 1987;Young and Frazer, 1987;Lewis and Yamamoto, 1990;Opsahl and Benner, 1995;Akin et al, 1996;Huang et al, 1998).…”

Section: Diagenetic Changes In Juncus Seed Coats After Burial -Influesupporting

confidence: 71%

Decomposition of Juncus seeds in a valley mire (Faroe Islands) over a 900 year period

Yeloff

Blokker

Bartlett

et al. 2008

Organic Geochemistry

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The influence of past depositional environments on the chemistry of sub-fossil Juncus seed coats (testa) from the top 1 m (corresponding to ca. 900 years of peat accumulation) of a peat bog in the Faroe Islands was examined. The chemistry of the testa of fresh Juncus seeds were characterised using thermally assisted pyrolysis and methylation (THM) in the presence of tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and 'type' compounds were identified, representative of the major chemical groups in the testa (cellulose-related sugars, lignin-related phenolics, fatty acids). The abundance of the 'type' compounds in the products from sub-fossil testae (the internal tissues of the seeds do not survive beyond the very early stages of decomposition) was then quantified at contiguous 1 cm depth intervals. Major losses of C 18 unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters and sugars were associated with the fresh to sub-fossil transition at ca. 7 cm depth. The preservation of the phenolic ferulic acid in the seed testa appears to be favoured by the input of small basaltic particles from the nearby stream channel. The mechanism by which inwash of inorganic material may be responsible for the improved chemical preservation of the Juncus seed testa is, however, unclear. The sugars were easily metabolised by microorganisms under aerobic conditions of low water table and preserved under anoxic conditions with high water table, suggesting that a drier mire surface may result in the more efficient depletion of polysaccharides and cellulose during the initial stage of decomposition in the acrotelm.

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Section: Diagenetic Changes In Juncus Seed Coats After Burial -Influesupporting

confidence: 71%

Decomposition of Juncus seeds in a valley mire (Faroe Islands) over a 900 year period

Yeloff

Blokker

Bartlett

et al. 2008

Organic Geochemistry

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“…The methyl ketones revealed here in fossil cephalopod jaws have also been recorded in microalgal 'dinoclasts' using similar analytical techniques (Versteegh et al 2004). Just as the jaws of living cephalopods contain no chemically-resistant, non-hydrolysable aliphatic polymer, nor do living dinoclasts contain an aliphatic component like the modern or fossil macromolecule known as algaenan, Versteegh et al (2004) and de Leeuw et al (2006) concluded that the macromolecule comprised ether linked C 16 and C 18 alkyl chains and was formed by oxidative polymerisation of fatty acid equivalents.…”

Section: Aspects On Necrosis and Fossil Diagenesis Of Organic Componentssupporting

confidence: 53%

“…Previous analysis of animal fossils, including eurypterids (Gupta et al 2007c), graptolites (Gupta et al 2006b) and beetles (Gupta et al 2007a) have indicated the presence of ester linkages in the macromolecule, indicating that such functional groups are important in crosslinking the geopolymer, possibly sterically protected by alkyl chains rendering the geopolymer immune to hydrolytic attack. Additionally, ether linkages have been shown to play a role in crosslinking the macromolecule in fossil algae (Versteegh et al 2004).…”

Section: Aspects On Necrosis and Fossil Diagenesis Of Organic Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Just as the jaws of living cephalopods contain no chemically-resistant, non-hydrolysable aliphatic polymer, nor do living dinoclasts contain an aliphatic component like the modern or fossil macromolecule known as algaenan, Versteegh et al (2004) and de Leeuw et al (2006) concluded that the macromolecule comprised ether linked C 16 and C 18 alkyl chains and was formed by oxidative polymerisation of fatty acid equivalents. Thus, the macromolecular building blocks were derived from the common components of cellular membranes and storage vesicles.…”

Section: Aspects On Necrosis and Fossil Diagenesis Of Organic Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ammonoid Taphonomy

Wani

Gupta

2015

Topics in Geobiology

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“…The prevalence of reducing conditions probably influenced both selective preservation of lipids and possibly biopolymers (Tegelaar et al 1989;Derenne and Largeau 2001;de Leeuw et al 2006) through the in situ polymerization of recalcitrant sedimentary aliphatics into macromolecules, as they do today (e.g., Briggs 1999;Gupta et al 2007). Cross-linking of organic molecules by sulfur bonds (Sinninghe Damsté et al 1989;Hartgers et al 1997;Hebting et al 2006), rather than oxygen bonds as in modern soil and marine humification processes (Gatellier et al 1993;Hedges et al 2000Hedges et al , 2001Riboulleau et al 2001;Versteegh et al 2004;Hertkorn et al 2006), probably dictated diagenetic condensation reactions at this time.…”

Section: Diagenesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Fossil Lipids for Life-Detection: A Case Study from the Early Earth Record

Eigenbrode

2007

Space Sci Rev

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The geological preservation of lipids from the cell membranes of organisms bestows a precious record of ancient life, especially for the Precambrian eon (>542 million years ago) when Earth life was largely microbial. All organisms produce lipids that, if the lipids survive oxidative degradation, become molecular fossils entrained with information on biological diversity, environmental conditions, and post-depositional alteration history. As with most biosignatures, the molecular fossil record that is indigenous (of the same place) and syngenetic (of the same age) to host rocks can be compromised by the introduction from and reaction with foreign or younger materials (e.g., petroleum or endolithic life). Deciphering the resulting complex pool of organic signals requires tests for the provenance of molecular fossils and the overall quality of the geobiological record itself. This paper reviews the basis for the very existence of a molecular fossil record from lipid biochemistry to mechanisms of organic-matter preservation and geochemical alteration. A systematic approach to resolving the provenance of molecular fossils and historical qualities of the record is presented in a case study of an early Earth record. This example demonstrates the value of geological context and the integration of independent geobiological parameters, which are critical to the detection and understanding of the ecological processes responsible for records of life.

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An example of oxidative polymerization of unsaturated fatty acids as a preservation pathway for dinoflagellate organic matter

Cited by 78 publications

References 34 publications

Decomposition of Juncus seeds in a valley mire (Faroe Islands) over a 900 year period

Decomposition of Juncus seeds in a valley mire (Faroe Islands) over a 900 year period

Ammonoid Taphonomy

Fossil Lipids for Life-Detection: A Case Study from the Early Earth Record

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