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From the Biosphere to the Geosphere: Assessing Lipid Biomarker Taphonomy Through a Lithification Gradient.

Pablo L Finkel1,2, Daniel Carrizo1, Victor Parro1

  • 1Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain.

Astrobiology
|August 26, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Lipid biomarkers from microbial mats show significant alteration during lithification. This research helps identify ancient life by understanding how these molecules change from biological to geological forms.

Keywords:
Lipid biomarkers—Degradation—Preservation—Ancient life—Mars—Pozo Bravo

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Area of Science:

  • Astrobiology
  • Geochemistry
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Biomarkers are crucial for detecting ancient and extraterrestrial life.
  • Understanding taphonomic pathways (alteration processes) is key to interpreting biomarker data.
  • Lipids, derived from cell membranes, are recalcitrant biomarkers often preserved in geological records.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the alteration of lipid biomarkers across a lithification gradient.
  • To reconstruct biological sources and assess lipid preservation from microbial mats to microbialites.
  • To provide insights for biogenicity assessments in the search for life.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of lipids from a biologically active microbial mat, a lithifying mat, and a microbialite.
  • Samples were collected from the Pozo Bravo hypersaline lake in the Argentinean Andes.
  • Lipids were analyzed at molecular and isotopic levels.

Main Results:

  • Lipids from lithifying mats and microbialites retained features of the original microbial mat, but with reduced concentration and diversity.
  • Labile lipid structures like unsaturations and pentacyclic compounds showed significant degradation (≥91% and ≥68% decrease).
  • Saturated and linear lipid chains were more resistant to alteration.

Conclusions:

  • Lipid preservation varies significantly during the lithification process.
  • These findings enhance our ability to assess the biogenicity of potential biomarkers.
  • The study guides future efforts in detecting ancient and extraterrestrial life through biomarker analysis.