Molecular identification of fungi microfossils in a Neoproterozoic shale rock
| Autor: | Franck Delpomdor, Andrew Steele, Anja Schreiber, Majid Kazemian, Alain Préat, Liane G. Benning, R. Wirth, Clément Chevalier, Steeve Bonneville, Tohru Araki |
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| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Geologic Sediments
paleontolgy fungi Geochemistry macromolecular substances Spectrum Analysis Raman 010502 geochemistry & geophysics 01 natural sciences 03 medical and health sciences Precambrian Spectroscopy Fourier Transform Infrared Research Articles 030304 developmental biology 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Molecular identification 0303 health sciences Microscopy Confocal Multidisciplinary Fossils fungi Géochimie Fungi SciAdv r-articles Paleontology Geology social sciences carbohydrates (lipids) Congo Confocal laser scanning fluorescence Oil shale Research Article |
| Zdroj: | Science Advances Science advances, 6 (4 |
| ISSN: | 2375-2548 |
| DOI: | 10.1126/sciadv.aax7599 |
| Popis: | We report the discovery of 715 to ca. 810 million–year–old fungal fossils through molecular characterization of vestigial chitin. Precambrian fossils of fungi are sparse, and the knowledge of their early evolution and the role they played in the colonization of land surface are limited. Here, we report the discovery of fungi fossils in a 810 to 715 million year old dolomitic shale from the Mbuji-Mayi Supergroup, Democratic Republic of Congo. Syngenetically preserved in a transitional, subaerially exposed paleoenvironment, these carbonaceous filaments of ~5 μm in width exhibit low-frequency septation (pseudosepta) and high-angle branching that can form dense interconnected mycelium-like structures. Using an array of microscopic (SEM, TEM, and confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy) and spectroscopic techniques (Raman, FTIR, and XANES), we demonstrated the presence of vestigial chitin in these fossil filaments and document the eukaryotic nature of their precursor. Based on those combined evidences, these fossil filaments and mycelium-like structures are identified as remnants of fungal networks and represent the oldest, molecularly identified remains of Fungi. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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