Identification of carotenals in sediments

Hopmans, Ellen C.; Schouten, Stefan; Rijpstra, W. Irene C.; Damsté, Jaap S. Sinninghe

doi:10.1016/j.orggeochem.2004.10.001

Cited by 26 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…However, DNA from obligate phototrophic cyanobacteria which occur in the photic zone indicates a shallow subaqueous habitat characterized by solar light penetration. This is confirmed by the presence of isorenieratane and C13‐C27 ϕ‐carotenals derived from the degradation of chlorobactane in marl interbedded with the selenitic gypsum (Hopmans et al. , 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ribosomal RNA gene fragments from fossilized cyanobacteria identified in primary gypsum from the late Miocene, Italy

et al. 2010

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Earth scientists have searched for signs of microscopic life in ancient samples of permafrost, ice, deep-sea sediments, amber, salt and chert. Until now, evidence of cyanobacteria has not been reported in any studies of ancient DNA older than a few thousand years. Here, we investigate morphologically, biochemically and genetically primary evaporites deposited in situ during the late Miocene (Messinian) Salinity Crisis from the north-eastern Apennines of Italy. The evaporites contain fossilized bacterial structures having identical morphological forms as modern microbes. We successfully extracted and amplified genetic material belonging to ancient cyanobacteria from gypsum crystals dating back to 5.910-5.816 Ma, when the Mediterranean became a giant hypersaline brine pool. This finding represents the oldest ancient cyanobacterial DNA to date. Our clone library and its phylogenetic comparison with present cyanobacterial populations point to a marine origin for the depositional basin. This investigation opens the possibility of including fossil cyanobacterial DNA into the palaeo-reconstruction of various environments and could also be used to quantify the ecological importance of cyanobacteria through geological time. These genetic markers serve as biosignatures providing important clues about ancient life and begin a new discussion concerning the debate on the origin of late Miocene evaporites in the Mediterranean.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ribosomal RNA gene fragments from fossilized cyanobacteria identified in primary gypsum from the late Miocene, Italy

et al. 2010

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“…The extracts were evaporated to dryness, weighed, re‐dissolved in 100–200 μL acetone, and analyzed following the procedures of Airs et al. (2001) and Hopmans et al. (2005).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following the approach of previous workers (Villanueva et al. , 1994; Hopmans et al. , 2005), chlorobactene, isorenieratene, and okenone were quantified based on their retention times, APCI‐mass spectra ( m / z 100–1000), and UV–Vis response by comparing the peak area at λ max in acetone of 465, 454, and 488 nm, respectively, to the response factor for β‐carotene (Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) at 452 nm.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Freeze-dried filters and powdered, freeze-dried surface sediments were ultrasonically extracted three times with acetone. The extracts were evaporated to dryness, weighed, re-dissolved in 100-200 lL acetone, and analyzed following the procedures of Airs et al (2001) and Hopmans et al (2005). All analyses were performed on an Agilent 1200 series HPLC (Agilent, Santa Clara, CA, USA) with an auto-injector and multiple wavelength detector coupled to an Agilent 6310 ion trap mass spectrometer.…”

Section: Carotenoid Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chlorobactene and isorenieratene from acetone extracts of Chlorobium tepidum and Chlorobium phaeobacteroides, respectively, were used to determine retention times. Following the approach of previous workers (Villanueva et al, 1994;Hopmans et al, 2005), chlorobactene, isorenieratene, and okenone were quantified based on their retention times, APCI-mass spectra (m ⁄ z 100-1000), and UV-Vis response by comparing the peak area at k max in acetone of 465, 454, and 488 nm, respectively, to the response factor for b-carotene (Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) at 452 nm. The UV-Vis response factor for an external b-carotene standard at its k max in acetone (452 nm) was calculated by measuring the peak area of the addition of known amounts (0.5, 7.5, 15, 22.5, and 30 lg) of b-carotene (Aldrich).…”

Section: Carotenoid Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carotenoid biomarkers as an imperfect reflection of the anoxygenic phototrophic community in meromictic Fayetteville Green Lake

et al. 2011

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Organic biomarkers in marine sedimentary rocks hold important clues about the early history of Earth's surface environment. The chemical relicts of carotenoids from anoxygenic sulfur bacteria are of particular interest to geoscientists because of their potential to signal episodes of marine photic-zone euxinia such as those proposed for extended periods in the Proterozoic as well as brief intervals during the Phanerozoic. It is therefore critical to constrain the environmental and physiological factors that influence carotenoid production and preservation in modern environments. Here, we present the results of coupled pigment and nucleic acid clone library analyses from planktonic and benthic samples collected from a microbially dominated meromictic lake, Fayetteville Green Lake (New York). Purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) are abundant and diverse both in the water column at the chemocline and in benthic mats below oxygenated shallow waters, with different PSB species inhabiting the two environments. Okenone (from PSB) is an abundant carotenoid in both the chemocline waters and in benthic mats. Green sulfur bacteria and their primary pigment Bchl e are also represented in and below the chemocline. However, the water column and sediments are devoid of the green sulfur bacteria carotenoid isorenieratene. The unexpected absence of isorenieratene and apparent benthic production of okenone provide strong rationale for continued exploration of the microbial ecology of biomarker production in modern euxinic environments.

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Continental evaporites and the search for evidence of life on Mars

Barbieri

Stivaletta

2011

Geological Journal

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Continental evaporites are deposits that originate from the evaporation of saline waters in the low areas of saline lakes from all continents, except Europe, and mainly consist of chloride, sulphate and potash minerals. In recent years, the discovery on the Martian surface of hydrated salt minerals, including sulphates and chlorides, interpreted as deriving from the desiccation of preexisting large bodies of water, such as lakes, has provided further convincing evidence of liquid water activity on the surface of Mars and, consequently, it has reinforced the plausibility of finding life. Because evaporites require short-term aqueous processes for their formation, they can trap and preserve over geologic times a biological record made up of halophilic extremophiles-such as microalgae, bacteria, and their remains-that recent research on Earth has shown to be characterized by unexpectedly high biodiversity. This record may consist of varying types of fossils, including morphological fossils, chemofossils and biominerals. As a consequence, continental evaporite environments and their saline deposits are now a primary target for the near future astrobiology missions devoted to the search for fossil Martian life. Lacustrine evaporite deposits and minerals have, therefore, been identified as primary targets for the NASA-ESA joint programme of the Mars sample return, planned for the end of the current decade.

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Identification of carotenals in sediments

Cited by 26 publications

References 32 publications

Ribosomal RNA gene fragments from fossilized cyanobacteria identified in primary gypsum from the late Miocene, Italy

Ribosomal RNA gene fragments from fossilized cyanobacteria identified in primary gypsum from the late Miocene, Italy

Carotenoid biomarkers as an imperfect reflection of the anoxygenic phototrophic community in meromictic Fayetteville Green Lake

Continental evaporites and the search for evidence of life on Mars

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