Life on Earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbon
Abstract The universe is a vast store of organic abiotic carbon that could potentially drive heterotrophy on habitable planets. Meteorites are one of the transporters of this carbon to planetary surfaces. Meteoritic material was accumulating on early Earth when life emerged and proliferated. Yet it...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54195-6 |
| _version_ | 1797274627667394560 |
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| author | Annemiek C. Waajen Cassio Lima Royston Goodacre Charles S. Cockell |
| author_facet | Annemiek C. Waajen Cassio Lima Royston Goodacre Charles S. Cockell |
| author_sort | Annemiek C. Waajen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The universe is a vast store of organic abiotic carbon that could potentially drive heterotrophy on habitable planets. Meteorites are one of the transporters of this carbon to planetary surfaces. Meteoritic material was accumulating on early Earth when life emerged and proliferated. Yet it is not known if this organic carbon from space was accessible to life. In this research, an anaerobic microbial community was grown with the CM2 carbonaceous chondrite Aguas Zarcas as the sole carbon, energy and nutrient source. Using a reversed 13C-stable isotope labelling experiment in combination with optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy of single cells, this paper demonstrates the direct transfer of carbon from meteorite into microbial biomass. This implies that meteoritic organics could have been used as a carbon source on early Earth and other habitable planets, and supports the potential for a heterotrophic metabolism in early living systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:01:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0adb814f638849af880ec62e4377a469 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:01:02Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-0adb814f638849af880ec62e4377a4692024-03-05T19:06:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-02-011411910.1038/s41598-024-54195-6Life on Earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbonAnnemiek C. Waajen0Cassio Lima1Royston Goodacre2Charles S. Cockell3UK Centre for Astrobiology, University of EdinburghCentre for Metabolomics Research, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of LiverpoolCentre for Metabolomics Research, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of LiverpoolUK Centre for Astrobiology, University of EdinburghAbstract The universe is a vast store of organic abiotic carbon that could potentially drive heterotrophy on habitable planets. Meteorites are one of the transporters of this carbon to planetary surfaces. Meteoritic material was accumulating on early Earth when life emerged and proliferated. Yet it is not known if this organic carbon from space was accessible to life. In this research, an anaerobic microbial community was grown with the CM2 carbonaceous chondrite Aguas Zarcas as the sole carbon, energy and nutrient source. Using a reversed 13C-stable isotope labelling experiment in combination with optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy of single cells, this paper demonstrates the direct transfer of carbon from meteorite into microbial biomass. This implies that meteoritic organics could have been used as a carbon source on early Earth and other habitable planets, and supports the potential for a heterotrophic metabolism in early living systems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54195-6 |
| spellingShingle | Annemiek C. Waajen Cassio Lima Royston Goodacre Charles S. Cockell Life on Earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbon Scientific Reports |
| title | Life on Earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbon |
| title_full | Life on Earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbon |
| title_fullStr | Life on Earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life on Earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbon |
| title_short | Life on Earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbon |
| title_sort | life on earth can grow on extraterrestrial organic carbon |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54195-6 |
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