Microbiological analysis of several cold-preserved tissue samples from the Siberian baby mammoth known as Lyuba revealed a number of culturable bacterial strains that were grown on anaerobic media at 3 oC. Lactic acid produced by LAB (lactic acid bacteria) group, usually by members of the genera Carnobacterium and Lactosphera, appears to be a wonderful preservative that keeps other bacteria from colonizing a system. Permafrost and lactic acid preserved the body of this one month-old baby mammoth and kept it in exceptionally good condition, resulting in this mammoth being the most complete sample of the species ever recovered.
The diversity of novel psychrophilic anaerobic isolates was expressed on morphological, physiological and phylogenetic levels. Here, we discuss the specifics of the isolation of new psychrophilic strains, differentiation from trivial contamination, and preliminary results for characterization of the cultures
Different methods for the investigation of ancient microfossils - in macerates, in thin sections and in
fresh chips in scanning electronic microscope - are discussed. The overwhelming advantage of the
Scanning Electron Microscopy method is shown.
Complexes of fossilized microorganisms were identified and studied in the rocks of the Lower
Paleoproterozoic Suisarian Formation representing the stratotype of the Ludicovian Supergroup, Karelian
complex of Central Karelia. The fossil microorganisms from different zones of pillow lavas were compared.
Weathering crusts are the only reliable evidences of continental conditions existence, and
often are the only source of information about exogenous processes and subsequently about
conditions under which the development of biosphere occurred. Complex of diverse fossil
microorganisms was discovered in result of electronic-microscope investigations. Chemical
composition of discovered fossils is identical to that of the host rocks and is represented by
Si, Al, Fe, Ca and Mg. Probably, microorganisms fixed in rocks played role of catalyst.
Decomposition of minerals, comprising rocks, and their transformation into clayey
(argillaceous) minerals, occurred most likely under influence of microorganisms. And
may be unique weathering crusts of Early Precambrian were formed due to interaction
between specific composition of microorganism assemblage and conditions of hypergene
transformations. So it is possible to speak about colonization of land by microbes already at
that time and about existence of single raw from weathering crusts (Primitive soils) to real
soils.
Microbial complexes were identified in the volcanic glasses from the ancient (2.4-Ga-old basaltic pillowlavas
of Karelia) and modern (pillow lavas of Mid-Atlantic ridge) volcanic rocks. It was shown that that their
microbial colonization is likely to occur by the same mechanism. Thus, well preserved pillow lavas, which
occupy a spacious fields in the Archean and Early Paleoproterozoic greenstone belts, are promising object
for search of the earliest traces of life on Earth.
An investigation of the Early Proterozoic pillow lavas of South-Africa shows that the lava-water
boundary is very interesting from the point of view of bacterial paleontology. In the pillow selvages
corresponding to this boundary, forms such as bacteria (including cyanobacteria) developed. Cyanobacterial
or bacterial mats formed and probably even such highly organized forms as eukaryotes existed.
The set of discovered Archaean organisms does not indicate anaerobic atmosphere as early as 3.5 Ga. The
RNA-world must have existed at least at 3.9 GA and, likely, close to the beginning of degasification and
appearance of water on the Earth surface. The earliest cellular organisms (membranes) also appeared before
4.0 Ga.
Possibilities of evaluation of conditions on the Earth's surface are under the consideration of both
geological-geochemical and possibly mainly paleontological data.
The important element in the analysis of the Earth conditions is the level of organisms organization
presented in the paleontological record, because it is connected with the existence of peculiar abiogenic
conditions, such as temperature, amount of oxygen, amount of water etc.
No principal differences have been found between microfossils described from Cambrian and Phanerozoic
and the 2000 Ma phosphorites. Numerous samples revealed diverse microbial microstructures interpreted as
cyanobacterial mats consisting of filamentous (1-3 μm in diameter, 20 μm in length), coccoidal (0.8-1.0 μm) and
ellipsoidal or rod-shaped microfossils (0.8 μm in diameter, around 2 μm in length) which morphologically resemble
modern Microcoleus and Siphonophycus, Thiocapsa, and Rhabdoderma, respectively, reported from alkaline or
saline environments. The sequence of the early Palaeoproterozoic events which point to a significant oxidation of the
hydrosphere, including the formation of phosphorites and changes in the phosphorous cycle, mimics the sequence
which was repeated at the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian transition, implying that oxidation of the terrestrial atmosphere-hydrosphere
system experienced an irregular cyclic development.
Ancient Archaean and Proterozoic rocks are model objects for the investigation of rocks comprising astromaterials.
Three types of fossil microorganisms found in Archaean rocks of Karelia are determined: 1. forms found in situ, in
other words microorganisms of the same-age as the rock matrix, that is valid Archaean fossils, 2. endolithic fossil
microorganisms, that is to say forms inhabited early formed rocks, and 3. younger than Archaean-Proterozoic
mineralised microorganisms, that is later contamination. The structures belong (from our point of view) to the first
type, or genuine Archaean forms were mainly under our examination. Practical investigation of ancient
microorganisms from Greenstone-Belt of Northern Karelia turns to be very perspective. It shows that even in such
ancient period as the Archaean an ancient diverse world existed. Moreover probably such relatively highly organised
forms as cyanobacteria and perhaps eukaryotic forms existed in Archaean world.
Newly found biomorphic microstructures from the Upper Archaean (lopian) rocks from Northern Karelia are described. The presence of various microorganisms of a bacterial nature and even cyanobacteria (and possibly eukaryotic forms) is suggested. The necessity of employing methods of electron microscopy, as well as traditional methods, while studying the very early manifestations of life in Archaean and Early Proterozoic is noted.
Investigation of the samples of the McArthur River complex ore deposit, one of the most zinc-lead mineral province in the world, brings us to conclusion about possibility of biogenic origin of sulfides in McArthur River ore deposit and to make supposition about formation of studied rocks in the photic zone of the sea.
Framboidal structures are common in both Earth rocks and in meteorites - carbonaceous chondrites. The main methods of formation of these structures are discussed. The role of biologic factors in formation of framboids is elevated. Comparison of crystal forms comprising framboids formed in laboratory conditions and in nature is provided. On the basis of investigations of framboidal structures the proposition that pyritoidal form of crystals is typical for the formation of biogenic framboidal structures.
The investigations of the fossil microbial remains from black carbonate shales of the Sinsk formation (Lower Cambrian) of the Siberian platform were provided. The main types of fossil bacterial remains found in the rocks under investigation are described.
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