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Biomarkers as tracers for life on early earth and Mars

Origins of life and evolution of biospheres, 1998-10, Vol.28 (4-6), p.475-483 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

Kluwer Academic Publishers 1998. ;Kluwer Academic Publishers 1998 ;ISSN: 0169-6149 ;EISSN: 1573-0875 ;DOI: 10.1023/a:1006508012904 ;PMID: 9776659

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Title:
Biomarkers as tracers for life on early earth and Mars
Author: Simoneit, B. R. ; Summons, R. E. ; Jahnke, L. L.
Subjects: Amino acids ; Bacteria - chemistry ; Biochemistry ; Biomarkers ; Biomarkers - analysis ; Biopolymers ; Biopolymers - analysis ; Biosynthesis ; Cholesterol ; Earth ; Earth, Planet ; Ecosystem ; Evolution, Chemical ; Exobiology ; Extinct species ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Geochemistry ; Geology ; Hydrocarbons - analysis ; Lipids ; Lipids - analysis ; Mars ; Microbial activity ; Microbiota ; Natural products ; Nature conservation ; Organic matter ; Origin of Life ; Pigments ; Preservation ; Sedimentary rocks ; Tracers
Is Part Of: Origins of life and evolution of biospheres, 1998-10, Vol.28 (4-6), p.475-483
Description: Biomarkers in geological samples are products derived from biochemical (natural product) precursors by reductive and oxidative processes (e.g., cholestanes from cholesterol). Generally, lipids, pigments and biomembranes are preserved best over longer geological times and labile compounds such as amino acids, sugars, etc. are useful biomarkers for recent times. Thus, the detailed characterization of biomarker compositions permits the assessment of the major contributing species of extinct and/or extant life. In the case of the early Earth, work has progressed to elucidate molecular structure and carbon isotropic signals preserved in ancient sedimentary rocks. In addition, the combination of bacterial biochemistry with the organic geochemistry of contemporary and ancient hydrothermal ecosystems permits the modeling of the nature, behavior and preservation potential of primitive microbial communities. This approach uses combined molecular and isotopic analyses to characterize lipids produced by cultured bacteria (representative of ancient strains) and to test a variety of culture conditions which affect their biosynthesis. On considering Mars, the biomarkers from lipids and biopolymers would be expected to be preserved best if life flourished there during its early history (3.5-4 x 10(9) yr ago). Both oxidized and reduced products would be expected. This is based on the inferred occurrence of hydrothermal activity during that time with the concomitant preservation of biochemically-derived organic matter. Both known biomarkers (i.e., as elucidated for early terrestrial samples and for primitive terrestrial microbiota) and novel, potentially unknown compounds should be characterized.
Publisher: Legacy CDMS: Springer Nature B.V
Language: English;Dutch
Identifier: ISSN: 0169-6149
EISSN: 1573-0875
DOI: 10.1023/a:1006508012904
PMID: 9776659
Source: NASA Technical Reports Server
MEDLINE
Alma/SFX Local Collection
ProQuest Central

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Biomarkers as tracers for life on early earth and Mars

Kluwer Academic Publishers 1998. ;Kluwer Academic Publishers 1998 ;ISSN: 0169-6149 ;EISSN: 1573-0875 ;DOI: 10.1023/a:1006508012904 ;PMID: 9776659

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