Fungal-induced fossil biomineralization

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.067

. 2023 Jun 19;33(12):2417-2424.e2.

doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.067. Epub 2023 May 24.

Fungal-induced fossil biomineralization

Mao Luo¹, Zhen Li², Mu Su³, Geoffrey Michael Gadd⁴, Zongjun Yin⁵, Michael J Benton⁶, Yanhong Pan⁷, Daran Zheng⁵, Tao Zhao⁸, Zibo Li⁹, Yuxuan Chen⁹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China. Electronic address: maoluo@nigpas.ac.cn.
² College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu, China.
³ College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
⁴ Geomicrobiology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK; State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Pollution Control, College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, 18 Fuxue Road, Changping District, Beijing 102249, China. Electronic address: g.m.gadd@dundee.ac.uk.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China.
⁶ School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.
⁷ State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Centre for Research and Education on Biological Evolution and Environment and Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
⁸ Institute of Palaeontology, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Earth System Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China.

PMID: 37230078
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.067

Free article

Fungal-induced fossil biomineralization

Mao Luo et al. Curr Biol. 2023.

Free article

. 2023 Jun 19;33(12):2417-2424.e2.

doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.067. Epub 2023 May 24.

Authors

Mao Luo¹, Zhen Li², Mu Su³, Geoffrey Michael Gadd⁴, Zongjun Yin⁵, Michael J Benton⁶, Yanhong Pan⁷, Daran Zheng⁵, Tao Zhao⁸, Zibo Li⁹, Yuxuan Chen⁹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China. Electronic address: maoluo@nigpas.ac.cn.
² College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu, China.
³ College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
⁴ Geomicrobiology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK; State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Pollution Control, College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, 18 Fuxue Road, Changping District, Beijing 102249, China. Electronic address: g.m.gadd@dundee.ac.uk.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China.
⁶ School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.
⁷ State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Centre for Research and Education on Biological Evolution and Environment and Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
⁸ Institute of Palaeontology, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Earth System Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China.

PMID: 37230078
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.067

Abstract

Exceptional preservation of fossils has often been attributed to the actions of bacteria that aid in the preservation of soft tissues that normally decay rapidly. However, it is well known that fungi play a major role in organic matter decomposition, biogeochemical cycling of elements, and metal-mineral transformations in modern ecosystems. Although the fungal fossil record can be traced back over a billion years, there are only a few recorded examples of fungal roles in fossilization. In this research, we have carried out a detailed geobiological investigation on early Pleistocene hyena coprolites (fossilized dung) in an attempt to ascertain possible fungal involvement in their formation. Using an advanced microscopic and mineralogical approach, we found that numerous hydroxyapatite nanofibers (25-34 nm on average), interwoven to form spheroidal structures, constituted the matrix of the coprolites in addition to food remains. These structures were found to be extremely similar in texture and mineral composition to biominerals produced during laboratory culture of a common saprophytic and geoactive fungus, Aspergillus niger, in the presence of a solid source of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). This observation, and our other data obtained, strongly suggests that fungal metabolism can provide a mechanism that can result in fossil biomineralization, and we hypothesize, therefore, that this may have contributed to the formation of well-preserved fossils (Lagerstätten) in the geological record. The characteristic polycrystalline nanofibers may also have served as a potential biosignature for fungal life in early Earth and extraterrestrial environments.

Keywords: Aspergillus niger; biomineralization; biosignature; coprolites; fungus; hydroxyapatite nanofiber; taphonomy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests.

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Fungal-induced fossil biomineralization

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Fungal-induced fossil biomineralization

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