Journal article
Anaerobic biodegradation of the isoprenoid biomarkers pristane and phytane
Organic geochemistry, v 65, pp 118-126
01 Dec 2013
Abstract
Isoprenoids, a diverse class of compounds synthesized by all three domains of life, comprise many of the biomarker compounds used in paleoenvironmental and paleoecological reconstruction of Earth history. These biomarkers include hopanoids, sterols and archaeal membrane lipids. While changes in hydrocarbon profiles in anoxic sediments and oilfields indicate that anaerobic microbial metabolism is involved in the disappearance or alteration of isoprenoids, direct links between specific compounds and their microbial degraders are lacking. Here we describe pristane (Pr) and phytane (Ph) degradation associated with NO3- reduction. We confirmed isoprenoid conversion to CO2 using C-13-labeled Ph. After 120 days, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) produced in incubations grown with C-13-labeled Ph had a delta C-13 value of +76.7 +/- 11.9%, significantly higher than values for incubations with unlabeled Ph (-35.7 +/- 2.0 parts per thousand) and those without an added carbon substrate (-30.0 +/- 2.1 parts per thousand). Additional incubations, displayed NO3- reduction after amendment with archaeal diphytanyl glycerol diether (DGD) core lipids, but not in those amended with glycerol diphytanyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) core lipids. Both 16S rRNA clone libraries and whole cell rRNA-targeted fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) indicated that the likely Pr and Ph degrading Bacteria were Gamma proteobacteria, with >99% similarity to Pseudomonas stutzeri. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Details
- Title
- Anaerobic biodegradation of the isoprenoid biomarkers pristane and phytane
- Creators
- Katherine S. Dawson (Corresponding Author) - Pennsylvania State UniversityIrene Schaperdoth - Pennsylvania State UniversityKatherine H. Freeman - Pennsylvania State UniversityJennifer L. Macalady - Pennsylvania State University
- Publication Details
- Organic geochemistry, v 65, pp 118-126
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- NSF DGE-9972759 / Penn State Biogeochemical Research Initiative for Education (BRIE) 48445-AC2 / American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund; American Chemical Society Penn State Biogeochemistry Program fellowship NNA04CC06A / NASA NAI; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) Penn State Astrobiology Research Center (PSARC)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Environmental Biogeochemistry
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000327133800012
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84887591267
- Other Identifier
- 991022207050704721