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Fernández-Remolar, D.C.* ; Carrizo, D.* ; Harir, M. ; Huang, T.* ; Amils, R.* ; Schmitt-Kopplin, P. ; Sánchez-García, L.* ; Gomez-Ortiz, D.* ; Malmberg, P.*

Unveiling microbial preservation under hyperacidic and oxidizing conditions in the Oligocene Rio Tinto deposit.

Sci. Rep. 11:21543 (2021)

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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.

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Publication type Article: Journal article

Document type Scientific Article

Corresponding Author

Keywords Ion Mass-spectrometry; Polycyclic Aromatic-hydrocarbons; Iberian Pyrite Belt; Organic-matter; Tof-sims; Water-activity; Fatty-acids; Spectral Characterization; Molecular Biomarkers; Sulfide Deposits

ISSN (print) / ISBN 2045-2322

e-ISSN 2045-2322

Journal Scientific Reports

Quellenangaben Volume: 11, Issue: 1, Article Number: 21543

Publisher Nature Publishing Group

Publishing Place London

Non-patent literature Publications

Reviewing status Peer reviewed

Institute(s) Research Unit BioGeoChemistry and Analytics (BGC)

Grants European Regional Development Fund
Investissements d'Avenir program