Unveiling microbial preservation under hyperacidic and oxidizing conditions in the Oligocene Rio Tinto deposit
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2021
The preservation of biosignatures on Mars is largely associated with extensive deposits of clays formed under mild early Noachian conditions (> 3.9 Ga). They were followed by widespread precipitation of acidic sulfates considered adverse for biomolecule preservation. In this paper, an exhaustive mass spectrometry investigation of ferric subsurface materials in the Rio Tinto gossan deposit (~ 25 Ma) provides evidence of well-preserved molecular biosignatures under oxidative and acidic conditions. Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF–SIMS) analysis shows a direct association between physical-templating biological structures and molecular biosignatures. This relation implies that the quality of molecular preservation is exceptional and provides information on microbial life formerly operating in the shallow regions of the Rio Tinto subsurface. Consequently, low-pH oxidative environments on Mars could also record molecular information about ancient life in the same way as the Noachian clay-rich deposits.
Författare
David C. Fernández-Remolar
Macau University of Science and Technology
Université Grenoble Alpes
CNSA Macau Center for Space Exploration and Science
Daniel Carrizo
Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB)
Mourad Harir
Helmholtz
Ting Huang
Macau University of Science and Technology
R. I. Amils
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM)
Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB)
Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin
Helmholtz
Technische Universität München
Laura Sánchez-García
Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB)
David Gómez-Ortiz
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Per Malmberg
Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Kemi och biokemi
Scientific Reports
2045-2322 (ISSN) 20452322 (eISSN)
Vol. 11 1 21543Ämneskategorier
Analytisk kemi
Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap
Textil-, gummi- och polymermaterial
Infrastruktur
Infrastruktur för kemisk avbildning
DOI
10.1038/s41598-021-00730-8