Primordial magnetotaxis in putative giant paleoproterozoic magnetofossils

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Bellon, Ualisson Donardelli; Williams, Wyn; Trindade, Ricardo Ivan Ferreira; Maldanis, Lara; Galante, Douglas
• 署名单位: Universidade de Sao Paulo; University of Edinburgh; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Universidade de Sao Paulo
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-10921
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319148121
• 发表日期: 2024-05-28
• 关键词: single-domain magnetite; biomineralization; magnetization; microfossils; EVOLUTION; ontario; origin; canada

摘要

Magnetotactic bacteria produce chains of nanoscopic iron minerals used for navigation, which can be preserved over geological timescales in the form of magnetofossils. controlled mineralization have been found in the geological record and termed giant magnetofossils. The biological origin and function of giant magnetofossils remains unclear, due to the lack of modern analogues to giant magnetofossils. Using distinctive Ptychographic nanotomography data of Precambrian (1.88 Ga) rocks, we recovered the morphology of micrometric cuboid grains of iron oxides embedded in an organic filamentous fossil to construct synthetic magnetosomes. Their morphology is different from that of previously found giant magnetofossils, but their occurrence in filamentous microfossils and micromagnetic simulations support the hypothesis that they could have functioned as a navigation aid, akin to modern magnetosomes.