A role for iron and oxygen chemistry in preserving soft tissues, cells and molecules from deep time

Mary H Schweitzer1, Wenxia Zheng, Timothy P Cleland

  • 1Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, , Campus Box 8208, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, , 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601, USA, Museum of Paleontology, University of California, , Berkeley, CA 94720, USA, Department of Material Sciences and Engineering, University of California, , Berkeley, CA 94720, USA, CHORI (Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute), , 5700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Oakland, CA 94609, USA, Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, , Raleigh, NC 27695-7622, USA, Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, , Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

Related Concept Videos

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles01:24

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles

Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...
94
Origin of Photosynthesis01:26

Origin of Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis represents a fundamental biological process that transformed Earth's atmosphere and paved the way for complex life. Emerging roughly 3.4–3.8 billion years ago, the earliest photosynthetic organisms harnessed light energy to produce organic compounds. These anoxygenic phototrophs used electron donors like hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) or ferrous iron (Fe²⁺), rather than water, and did not release molecular oxygen (O₂) as a byproduct. Various groups, including...
116
Conditions on Early Earth02:06

Conditions on Early Earth

Around 4 billion years ago, oceans began to condense on earth while volcanic eruptions released nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen into the primordial atmosphere. However, organisms with the characteristics of life were not initially present on earth. Scientists have used experimentation to determine how organisms evolved that could grow, reproduce, and maintain an internal environment.
67.0K
Conditions on Early Earth02:06

Conditions on Early Earth

2.5K
Origin of Cellular Life01:24

Origin of Cellular Life

The origin of life on Earth is a complex and enigmatic event rooted in ancient biochemical processes and geological conditions. Experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that life began with the spontaneous formation of organic molecules such as RNA nucleotides, amino acids, and lipids under early Earth conditions. Factors like volcanic activity, intense UV radiation, and a reducing atmosphere without free oxygen likely facilitated these reactions. Hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor are...
125
Oxygen Requirements and Growth Patterns01:29

Oxygen Requirements and Growth Patterns

Microorganisms exhibit diverse oxygen requirements and growth patterns driven by their metabolic strategies and environmental adaptations. Oxygen, while essential for many organisms, can also be toxic under certain conditions, shaping how microorganisms grow and survive.Oxygen Requirements of MicroorganismsMicroorganisms are classified based on their ability to use or tolerate oxygen:● Obligate aerobes like Mycobacterium tuberculosis need oxygen for energy production, as it serves as the...
2.6K