The hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesis
Abstract Microbial impacts on early carbonate diagenesis, particularly the formation of Mg-carbonates at low temperatures, have long eluded scientists. Our breakthrough laboratory experiments with two species of halophilic aerobic bacteria and marine carbonate grains reveal that these bacteria creat...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84407-y |
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| author | Mónica Sánchez-Román Viswasanthi Chandra Sebastian Mulder Camila Areias John Reijmer Volker Vahrenkamp |
| author_facet | Mónica Sánchez-Román Viswasanthi Chandra Sebastian Mulder Camila Areias John Reijmer Volker Vahrenkamp |
| author_sort | Mónica Sánchez-Román |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Microbial impacts on early carbonate diagenesis, particularly the formation of Mg-carbonates at low temperatures, have long eluded scientists. Our breakthrough laboratory experiments with two species of halophilic aerobic bacteria and marine carbonate grains reveal that these bacteria created a distinctive protodolomite (disordered dolomite) rim around the grains. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed the protodolomite formation, while solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) revealed bacterial interactions with carboxylated organic matter, such as extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). We observed a significant carbon isotope fractionation (average δ13C = 11.3‰) and notable changes in Mg/Ca ratios throughout the experiments. Initial medium δ13C was − 18‰, sterile sediments were at 2‰ (n = 12), bacterial-altered sediments were − 6.8‰ (n = 12), and final medium δ13C was − 4.7‰. These results highlight the role of bacteria in driving organic carbon sequestration into Mg-rich carbonates and demonstrate the utility of NMR as a tool for detecting microbial biosignatures. This has significant implications for understanding carbonate diagenesis (dissolution and reprecipitation), climate science, and extraterrestrial research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1b39289ba95c485faad7f16938e66621 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-1b39289ba95c485faad7f16938e666212025-01-05T12:14:41ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111410.1038/s41598-024-84407-yThe hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesisMónica Sánchez-Román0Viswasanthi Chandra1Sebastian Mulder2Camila Areias3John Reijmer4Volker Vahrenkamp5Geobiology Laboratory, Earth Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Vrije UniversiteitAli I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyGeobiology Laboratory, Earth Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Vrije UniversiteitGeobiology Laboratory, Earth Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Vrije UniversiteitGeobiology Laboratory, Earth Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Vrije UniversiteitAli I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Microbial impacts on early carbonate diagenesis, particularly the formation of Mg-carbonates at low temperatures, have long eluded scientists. Our breakthrough laboratory experiments with two species of halophilic aerobic bacteria and marine carbonate grains reveal that these bacteria created a distinctive protodolomite (disordered dolomite) rim around the grains. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed the protodolomite formation, while solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) revealed bacterial interactions with carboxylated organic matter, such as extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). We observed a significant carbon isotope fractionation (average δ13C = 11.3‰) and notable changes in Mg/Ca ratios throughout the experiments. Initial medium δ13C was − 18‰, sterile sediments were at 2‰ (n = 12), bacterial-altered sediments were − 6.8‰ (n = 12), and final medium δ13C was − 4.7‰. These results highlight the role of bacteria in driving organic carbon sequestration into Mg-rich carbonates and demonstrate the utility of NMR as a tool for detecting microbial biosignatures. This has significant implications for understanding carbonate diagenesis (dissolution and reprecipitation), climate science, and extraterrestrial research.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84407-y |
| spellingShingle | Mónica Sánchez-Román Viswasanthi Chandra Sebastian Mulder Camila Areias John Reijmer Volker Vahrenkamp The hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesis Scientific Reports |
| title | The hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesis |
| title_full | The hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesis |
| title_fullStr | The hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesis |
| title_short | The hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesis |
| title_sort | hidden role of heterotrophic bacteria in early carbonate diagenesis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84407-y |
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