Biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria
peer reviewed The Proterozoic is an important eon for the evolution of early life on Earth, and especially for the diversification of cyanobacteria, a major group of photosynthetic microorganisms. In paleontology, much effort and work are devoted to the study of cyanobacteria, due to their key-role...
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ftorbi:oai:orbi.ulg.ac.be:2268/221672 2024-04-21T07:58:25+00:00 Biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria Demoulin, Catherine Lara, Yannick François, Camille Javaux, Emmanuelle 2018-03-21 https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/221672 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/221672/1/Abstract_CDemoulin_COST21-2018.pdf en eng https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/221672 info:hdl:2268/221672 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/221672/1/Abstract_CDemoulin_COST21-2018.pdf open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess COST Life Origins Workshop 2018, Bertinoro, du 19 au 23 mars 2018 Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique conference poster not in proceedings http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_18co info:eu-repo/semantics/conferencePoster peer reviewed 2018 ftorbi 2024-03-27T14:58:25Z peer reviewed The Proterozoic is an important eon for the evolution of early life on Earth, and especially for the diversification of cyanobacteria, a major group of photosynthetic microorganisms. In paleontology, much effort and work are devoted to the study of cyanobacteria, due to their key-role in the oxygenation of the atmosphere and oceans during the GOE (Great Oxidation Event, around 2.4 Ga). Moreover, the development of oxygenated ecological niches is one of the factors linked to the diversification of eukaryotes. However, identifying extremely old microfossil structures as cyanobacteria remains often disputed. The oldest fossil cyanobacterium (~ 1.9 Ga) determined so far with certainty is Eoentophysalis belcherensis Hofmann, a microorganism forming mats and colonies in silicified stromatolites from the Belcher Islands, Hudson Bay, Canada [1]. Its identification as a cyanobacterium relies mainly on morphological comparison to a modern cyanobacterium, Entophysalis Ercegović [2]. In this context, our research project, financed by the ERC StG ELiTE, mainly aims at characterizing the biosignatures of Proterozoic cyanobacteria in order to get new insights into the origin and early evolution of cyanobacteria and oxygenic phtosynthesis. Methodologically, we are using optical microscopy, electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and Raman and FTIR microspectroscopy techniques, applied on modern specimens and microfossils. This approach is expected to test the biological nature of Paleoproterozoic and younger microstructures, to resolve the affinities of possible prokaryotic microfossils and, thus, to assess their taxonomic placement among cyanobacteria. Conference Object Belcher Islands Hudson Bay University of Liège: ORBi (Open Repository and Bibliography) |
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Open Polar |
collection |
University of Liège: ORBi (Open Repository and Bibliography) |
op_collection_id |
ftorbi |
language |
English |
topic |
Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique |
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Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique Demoulin, Catherine Lara, Yannick François, Camille Javaux, Emmanuelle Biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria |
topic_facet |
Physical chemical mathematical & earth Sciences Earth sciences & physical geography Physique chimie mathématiques & sciences de la terre Sciences de la terre & géographie physique |
description |
peer reviewed The Proterozoic is an important eon for the evolution of early life on Earth, and especially for the diversification of cyanobacteria, a major group of photosynthetic microorganisms. In paleontology, much effort and work are devoted to the study of cyanobacteria, due to their key-role in the oxygenation of the atmosphere and oceans during the GOE (Great Oxidation Event, around 2.4 Ga). Moreover, the development of oxygenated ecological niches is one of the factors linked to the diversification of eukaryotes. However, identifying extremely old microfossil structures as cyanobacteria remains often disputed. The oldest fossil cyanobacterium (~ 1.9 Ga) determined so far with certainty is Eoentophysalis belcherensis Hofmann, a microorganism forming mats and colonies in silicified stromatolites from the Belcher Islands, Hudson Bay, Canada [1]. Its identification as a cyanobacterium relies mainly on morphological comparison to a modern cyanobacterium, Entophysalis Ercegović [2]. In this context, our research project, financed by the ERC StG ELiTE, mainly aims at characterizing the biosignatures of Proterozoic cyanobacteria in order to get new insights into the origin and early evolution of cyanobacteria and oxygenic phtosynthesis. Methodologically, we are using optical microscopy, electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and Raman and FTIR microspectroscopy techniques, applied on modern specimens and microfossils. This approach is expected to test the biological nature of Paleoproterozoic and younger microstructures, to resolve the affinities of possible prokaryotic microfossils and, thus, to assess their taxonomic placement among cyanobacteria. |
format |
Conference Object |
author |
Demoulin, Catherine Lara, Yannick François, Camille Javaux, Emmanuelle |
author_facet |
Demoulin, Catherine Lara, Yannick François, Camille Javaux, Emmanuelle |
author_sort |
Demoulin, Catherine |
title |
Biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria |
title_short |
Biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria |
title_full |
Biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria |
title_fullStr |
Biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria |
title_full_unstemmed |
Biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria |
title_sort |
biosignatures of modern and fossil cyanobacteria |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/221672 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/221672/1/Abstract_CDemoulin_COST21-2018.pdf |
genre |
Belcher Islands Hudson Bay |
genre_facet |
Belcher Islands Hudson Bay |
op_source |
COST Life Origins Workshop 2018, Bertinoro, du 19 au 23 mars 2018 |
op_relation |
https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/221672 info:hdl:2268/221672 https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/221672/1/Abstract_CDemoulin_COST21-2018.pdf |
op_rights |
open access http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
_version_ |
1796939574720593920 |