LEXEN: Paleobiology of Ancient Salt Formations: Examination of Primary Crystals for Biological Materials

LEXEN：古代盐层的古生物学：生物材料初级晶体的检查

• 批准号: 9714203
• 负责人: Russell Vreeland
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: West Chester University of Pennsylvania
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1997
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1997-10-01 至 2000-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9714203&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: LEXEN; Paleobiology; Ancient; Salt; Formations

9714203 Vreeland This proposal is based on the hypothesis that extremely halophilic bacteria and/or macromolecules (biological materials) can be preserved for long periods of time inside of NaCl crystals. This project has three objectives: 1) To sample a variety of ancient geologic salt formations and to clearly document the ages of the samples; 2) To gently extract and study biological materials from the crystals obtained in objective #1; 3) To experimentally examine the stability of various biological materials inside of salt crystals. This research will advance several of the NSF's LExEN program by increasing the scientific understanding of the nature of primitive organisms from extreme environments, the nature of the early extreme environment in which they thrived and the influence of microorganisms on the Earth's early environment. This project research will be conducted under the initial assumption that the best place to find extant biological materials will be inside primary fluid filled inclusions that are at least 200 microns square. At this time, four sample sites have been selected for this project. These include: depositional salts from the modern era 1.3 Million years of age (Ma) or less, a formation which contains Permian salt (ca 250 Ma); a formation containing Devonian age salt (ca. 360-400 Ma); and a fourth site made of Silurian age (430 Ma). The most critical issue for this project is to clearly establish the age and quality of each crystal sample used for the isolation of biological materials. Age dating the individual samples will basically involve collecting data at two levels of effort. These levels are: microfossil analyses of surrounding crystals, which will be performed under the direction of Dr. Dennis Braman at the Royal Tyrrel Museum in Drumheller, Alberta; and chemical analysis of the extracted inclusion brines which will be accomplished under the direction of Dr. Juske Horita at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. The biological sampling will be performed in the laboratory of the project director (Dr. Russell H. Vreeland). The sampling for biological material involves the use of surface sterilized primary crystals, which will be penetrated using aseptic techniques. The inclusions will be sampled using a micromanipulator and sterilized capillary tubes that will allow the sample to be withdrawn without destroying the crystal. This project will provide significant data in the following areas: 1) Demonstrated that biological materials can survive inside crystals for very long periods of time; 2) Developed and tested procedures for isolating ancient, fragile biological materials from mineral inclusions; 3) Provided biological material that can be used to determine the evolutionary state of microorganisms 250 to 430 million years B.P.E; 4) Provided data and sampling methods that can be used in a search for extraterrestrial life on long dead planets (DeVincenzi, 1992, DeVincenzi et al. 1990); 5) Pushed back the envelope for proven survival of intact biological materials by a factor of 10 1.5-2.0 x 107 (Cano and Borucki, 1995) to 2.5-4.3 x 108 years . The project director's laboratory has been actively conducting several relevant experiments in order to prepare for this project. Dr. Vreeland has studied the ecology, taxonomy and physiology of halophilic bacteria for nearly twenty-five years. He has been involved in sampling underground salt formations for the last ten years. He has published twenty-five primary research publications and has one patent dealing with halophilic bacteria.

小行星9714203 这一提议是基于极端嗜盐细菌和/或大分子（生物材料）可以在NaCl晶体内长时间保存的假设。 该项目有三个目标：1）对各种古老的地质盐层进行取样，并清楚地记录样品的年龄; 2）从目标#1获得的晶体中温和地提取和研究生物材料; 3）实验检查盐晶体中各种生物材料的稳定性。 这项研究将通过增加对极端环境中原始生物的性质，早期极端环境的性质以及微生物对地球早期环境的影响的科学理解来推进NSF的LExEN计划。 本项目研究将在最初的假设下进行，即找到现存生物材料的最佳位置将是至少200微米平方的主要流体填充包裹体内部。 目前，已为该项目选择了四个样本点。 其中包括：现代沉积盐130万年（Ma）或更少，一个包含二叠纪盐（约250 Ma）的地层;一个包含泥盆纪盐（约250 Ma）的地层。360-400 Ma）;和志留纪年龄（430 Ma）的第四个网站。 该项目最关键的问题是明确确定用于分离生物材料的每个晶体样品的年龄和质量。 确定个体样本的年龄基本上涉及在两个层面上收集数据。 这些级别是：在阿尔伯塔德拉姆海勒的皇家泰瑞尔博物馆的丹尼斯·布拉曼博士的指导下，对周围晶体进行微化石分析;在橡树岭国家实验室的于斯克·堀田博士的指导下，对提取的包裹体盐水进行化学分析。 生物采样将在项目负责人（Russell H.博士）的实验室进行。Vreeland）。 生物材料的取样涉及使用表面灭菌的初级晶体，将使用无菌技术穿透。 将使用显微操作器和无菌毛细管对夹杂物进行取样，以允许在不破坏晶体的情况下取出样品。 该项目将在以下领域提供重要数据：1）证明生物材料可以在晶体中存活很长时间; 2）开发和测试从矿物包裹体中分离古老、脆弱的生物材料的程序; 3）提供可用于确定B. P. E 2.5亿至4.3亿年微生物进化状态的生物材料; 4）提供数据和采样方法，可用于在长期死亡的行星上寻找外星生命（Dejuenzi，1992年，Dejuenzi等人，1990年）; 5）将已证实的完整生物材料的存活时间从1.5-2.0 x 107（Cano和Borucki，1995年）推回到2.5-4.3 x 108年。 项目主任的实验室一直在积极进行几项相关实验，以便为该项目做准备。 Vreeland博士研究嗜盐菌的生态学、分类学和生理学已有近25年。 过去十年来，他一直从事地下盐层取样工作。 他发表了25篇主要的研究论文，并拥有一项关于嗜盐细菌的专利。