Collaborative Research: Biochemical, Genetic, Metabolic and Isotopic Constraints on an Ancient Thiobiosphere

合作研究：古代硫生物圈的生化、遗传、代谢和同位素限制

• 批准号: 1724099
• 负责人: Christopher House
• 金额: $ 48.46万
• 依托单位: Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-07-15 至 2023-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1724099&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Biochemical; Genetic; Metabolic

Chemical bonds between phosphorus and oxygen are important in building DNA and RNA, and also in supplying modern cells with energy. It is not known, however, whether the first life forms had the same chemistry, and early life in particular may have run on sulfur instead of phosphorus. This project will work backwards from the traces of this sulfur-based chemistry in modern life to reconstruct the role of sulfur-oxygen bonds in early ecosystems. Predictions made from this approach will be compared to the carbon and sulfur isotope record in 2.5 billion year old rocks. We will use the astrobiology social media platform (SAGANet) for the conversations with public about this project and other studies of evolution of life on Earth. Phosphate esters, such as nucleotide triphosphates, diphosphates, and pyrophosphate, are the central component of energy metabolism in all living cells. It is not known, however, whether they were of similar paramount importance at the origin of life or in the first cells, or whether another kind of chemistry was playing the same role there. Considerations from geochemistry, molecular evolution, and systems biology imply that thioesters - high-energy bonds based on sulfur instead of phosphorus - may have supplied energy in the first metabolisms on Earth. This project will develop a broad and detailed understanding of the natural history of thioester utilization, working backwards to reconstruct ancient biochemistry from contemporary metabolism, and simultaneously examining pre-biological chemistries that can couple thioester formation and degradation. These two lines of study will allow the research team to infer the carbon and sulfur isotopic signatures of important metabolic pathways in a putative early thiobiosphere, and test whether these signatures are preserved in the 2.5 billion year old geological record. The results of this project should be of broad interest, and the project will engage with the scientific community and the public through journal publications as well as an established astrobiology social media platform (SAGANet). Select high school serving communities traditionally underrepresented in science will be reached through semester-long programs led by SAGANet graduate student mentors and facilitated by the investigators of this project.

磷和氧之间的化学键在构建DNA和RNA以及为现代细胞提供能量方面很重要。然而，尚不清楚第一寿命形式是否具有相同的化学形式，尤其是早期生命可能是在硫而不是磷上运行的。该项目将从现代生活中基于硫化学的痕迹的痕迹倒退，以重建硫 - 氧键在早期生态系统中的作用。将这种方法的预测与25亿年历史的岩石中的碳和硫同位素记录进行比较。我们将使用天文学社交媒体平台（Saganet）与公众就该项目以及其他关于地球生命进化的研究进行对话。 磷酸酯，例如三磷酸核苷酸，双磷酸盐和焦磷酸盐，是所有活细胞中能量代谢的核心成分。但是，尚不清楚它们在生命的起源还是在第一个细胞的起源上是相似的重要性，还是其他类型的化学作用在那里起着相同的作用。地球化学，分子进化和系统生物学的考虑意味着，基于硫而不是磷的高能键可能在地球上的第一个代谢中提供了能量。该项目将对硫酯利用的自然历史产生广泛而详细的了解，从当代代谢中重建古老的生物化学，同时研究可以将硫酯形成和退化的生物学化学分配。这两条研究将使研究团队能够在推定的早期硫代层层中推断重要代谢途径的碳和硫同位素特征，并测试这些特征是否在25亿年的地质记录中保存下来。该项目的结果应该引起广泛关注，该项目将通过期刊出版物以及既定的天文学社交媒体平台（Saganet）与科学界和公众互动。传统上，精选的高中服务社区将通过由Saganet研究生学生导师领导的学期课程来达成科学领域，并由该项目的调查人员促进。

项目成果

Distinctive microfossil supports early Paleoproterozoic rise in complex cellular organisation

• DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12576
• 发表时间: 2023-10-06
• 期刊: GEOBIOLOGY
• 影响因子: 3.7
• 作者: Barlow，Erica V.;House，Christopher H.;Van Kranendonk，Martin J.
• 通讯作者: Van Kranendonk，Martin J.

Ceres: Astrobiological Target and Possible Ocean World

• DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1999
• 发表时间: 2020-01-03
• 期刊: ASTROBIOLOGY
• 影响因子: 4.2
• 作者: Castillo-Rogez, Julie C.;Neyeu, Marc;Young, Edward
• 通讯作者: Young, Edward