1
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Pachauri A, Chitme H, Visht S, Chidrawar V, Mohammed N, Abdel-Wahab BA, Khateeb MM, Habeeb MS, Orabi MAA, Bakir MB. Permeability-Enhanced Liposomal Emulgel Formulation of 5-Fluorouracil for the Treatment of Skin Cancer. Gels 2023; 9:gels9030209. [PMID: 36975657 PMCID: PMC10048565 DOI: 10.3390/gels9030209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The plain 5-fluorouracil (5FU) formulations available in the market are associated with adverse effects such as skin irritation, pruritus, redness, blisters, allergy, and dryness on the site of application. The objective of the present study was to develop a liposomal emulgel of 5FU with increased skin permeability and efficacy using clove oil and eucalyptus oil along with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, excipients, stabilizers, binders, and additives. A series of seven formulations were developed and evaluated for their entrapment efficiency, in vitro release profile, and cumulative drug release profile. The compatibility of drugs and excipients, as confirmed by FTIR (fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) and DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) as well as SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) studies, revealed that the size and shape of liposomes are smooth and spherical, and the liposomes are non-aggregated. To understand their efficacy, the optimized formulations were evaluated for cytotoxicity using B16-F10 mouse skin melanoma cells. The eucalyptus oil and clove oil-containing preparation significantly produced a cytotoxic effect against a melanoma cell line. The addition of clove oil and eucalyptus oil increased the efficacy of the formulation by improving skin permeability and reducing the dose required for the anti-skin cancer activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankur Pachauri
- Faculty of Pharmacy, DIT University, Dehradun 248009, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Havagiray Chitme
- Faculty of Pharmacy, DIT University, Dehradun 248009, Uttarakhand, India
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +91-135-7144000
| | - Sharad Visht
- Faculty of Pharmacy, DIT University, Dehradun 248009, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Vijay Chidrawar
- Raghavendra Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Chiyyedu 515721, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Nawaj Mohammed
- Raghavendra Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Chiyyedu 515721, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Basel A. Abdel-Wahab
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Najran University, Najran P.O. Box 1988, Saudi Arabia
| | - Masood Medleri Khateeb
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Najran University, Najran P.O. Box 1988, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohamed A. A. Orabi
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Najran University, Najran P.O. Box 1988, Saudi Arabia
| | - Marwa B. Bakir
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Najran University, Najran P.O. Box 1988, Saudi Arabia
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2
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Ma J, Ma S, Xue J, Xu M, Zhang J, Li J, Zhao Z, Zhao S, Pan J, Ye Z. Synthesis of elastic hydrophobic biomass sponge for rapid solar-driven viscous crude-oil cleanup absorption, oil-water separation and organic pollutants treating. Sep Purif Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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3
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Vajda V, Cavalcante L, Palmgren K, Krüger A, Ivarsson M. Prototaxites reinterpreted as mega-rhizomorphs, facilitating nutrient transport in early terrestrial ecosystems. Can J Microbiol 2023; 69:17-31. [PMID: 36511419 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2021-0358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The enigmatic fossil Prototaxites found in successions ranging from the Middle Ordovician to the Upper Devonian was originally described as having conifer affinity. The current debate, however, suggests that they probably represent gigantic algal-fungal symbioses. Our re-investigation of permineralized Prototaxites specimens from two localities, the Heider quarry in Germany and the Bordeaux quarry in Canada, reveals striking anatomical similarities with modern fungal rhizomorphs Armillaria mellea. We analysed extant fungal rhizomorphs and fossil Prototaxites through light microscopy of their anatomy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Based on these comparisons, we interpret the Prototaxites as fungi. The detailed preservation of cell walls and possible organelles seen in transverse sections of Prototaxites reveal that fossilization initiated while the organism was alive, inhibiting the collapse of delicate cellular structures. Prototaxites has been interpreted to grow vertically by many previous workers. Here we propose an alternative view that Prototaxites represents a complex hyphal aggregation (rhizomorph) that may have grown horizontally similar to modern complex aggregated mycelial growth forms, such as cords and rhizomorphs. Their main function was possibly to redistribute water and nutrition from nutrient-rich to nutrient-poor areas facilitating the expansion for early land plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivi Vajda
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Larissa Cavalcante
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kristoffer Palmgren
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ashley Krüger
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magnus Ivarsson
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
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4
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Ma S, Xu M, Zhao Z, Pan J, Zhao S, Xue J, Ye Z. Preparation of 3D superhydrophobic porous g-C3N4 nanosheets@carbonized kapok fiber composites for oil/water separation and treating organic pollutants. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.129298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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5
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Ma CB, Xu Y, Wu L, Wang Q, Zheng JJ, Ren G, Wang X, Gao X, Zhou M, Wang M, Wei H. Guided Synthesis of a Mo/Zn Dual Single-Atom Nanozyme with Synergistic Effect and Peroxidase-like Activity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202116170. [PMID: 35238141 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202116170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We present a facile route towards a dual single-atom nanozyme composed of Zn and Mo, which utilizes the non-covalent nano-assembly of polyoxometalates, supramolecular coordination complexes as the metal-atom precursor, and a macroscopic amphiphilic aerogel as the supporting substrate. The dual single-atoms of Zn and Mo have a high content (1.5 and 7.3 wt%, respectively) and exhibit a synergistic effect and a peroxidase-like activity. The Zn/Mo site was identified as the main active center by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and density functional theory calculation. The detection of versatile analytes, including intracellular H2 O2 , glucose in serum, cholesterol, and ascorbic acid in commercial beverages was achieved. The nanozyme has an outstanding stability and maintained its performance after one year's storage. This study develops a new peroxidase-like nanozyme and provides a robust synthetic strategy for single-atom catalysts by utilizing an aerogel as a facile substrate that is capable of stabilizing various metal atoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong-Bo Ma
- Key Laboratory of Polyoxometalate and Reticular Material Chemistry of Ministry of Education, National & Local United Engineering Laboratory for Power Batteries, Key Laboratory of Nanobiosensing and Nanobioanalysis at Universities of Jilin Province, Analysis and Testing Center, Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130024, China
| | - Yaping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Lixin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Quan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.,State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Jia-Jia Zheng
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Guoxi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.,State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xingfa Gao
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Ming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Polyoxometalate and Reticular Material Chemistry of Ministry of Education, National & Local United Engineering Laboratory for Power Batteries, Key Laboratory of Nanobiosensing and Nanobioanalysis at Universities of Jilin Province, Analysis and Testing Center, Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130024, China
| | - Ming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Hui Wei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.,State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
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6
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Ma CB, Xu Y, Wu L, Wang Q, Zheng JJ, Ren G, Wang X, Gao X, Zhou M, Wang M, Wei H. Guided Synthesis of a Mo/Zn Dual Single‐Atom Nanozyme with Synergistic Effect and Peroxidase‐like Activity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202116170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chong-Bo Ma
- Northeast Normal University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Yaping Xu
- Jilin University College of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Lixin Wu
- Jilin University College of Chemistry CHINA
| | | | - Jia-Jia Zheng
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience CHINA
| | - Guoxi Ren
- Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics CHINA
| | | | - Xingfa Gao
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience CHINA
| | - Ming Zhou
- Northeast Normal University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Ming Wang
- Jilin University College of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Hui Wei
- Nanjing University Biomedical Engineering 22 Hankou Rd 210093 Nanjing CHINA
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7
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Xu M, Ma S, Li J, Yuan M, Gao J, Xue J, Wang M. Multifunctional 3D polydimethylsiloxane modified MoS2@biomass-derived carbon composite for oil/water separation and organic dye adsorption/photocatalysis. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.128281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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8
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Bonneville S, Delpomdor F, Préat A, Chevalier C, Araki T, Kazemian M, Steele A, Schreiber A, Wirth R, Benning LG. Molecular identification of fungi microfossils in a Neoproterozoic shale rock. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaax7599. [PMID: 32010783 PMCID: PMC6976295 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax7599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Precambrian fossils of fungi are sparse, and the knowledge of their early evolution and the role they played in the colonization of land surface are limited. Here, we report the discovery of fungi fossils in a 810 to 715 million year old dolomitic shale from the Mbuji-Mayi Supergroup, Democratic Republic of Congo. Syngenetically preserved in a transitional, subaerially exposed paleoenvironment, these carbonaceous filaments of ~5 μm in width exhibit low-frequency septation (pseudosepta) and high-angle branching that can form dense interconnected mycelium-like structures. Using an array of microscopic (SEM, TEM, and confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy) and spectroscopic techniques (Raman, FTIR, and XANES), we demonstrated the presence of vestigial chitin in these fossil filaments and document the eukaryotic nature of their precursor. Based on those combined evidences, these fossil filaments and mycelium-like structures are identified as remnants of fungal networks and represent the oldest, molecularly identified remains of Fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Bonneville
- Biogéochimie et Modélisation du Système Terre, Département Géosciences, Environnement et Société, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 Av. F. D. Roosevelt, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - F. Delpomdor
- Illinois State Geological Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 615 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | - A. Préat
- Biogéochimie et Modélisation du Système Terre, Département Géosciences, Environnement et Société, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 Av. F. D. Roosevelt, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - C. Chevalier
- Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des professeurs Jeener et Brachet, Charleroi 6041, Belgium
| | - T. Araki
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, UK
| | - M. Kazemian
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, UK
| | - A. Steele
- Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1530 P St NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA
| | - A. Schreiber
- German Research Centre for Geosciences, GFZ, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - R. Wirth
- German Research Centre for Geosciences, GFZ, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - L. G. Benning
- German Research Centre for Geosciences, GFZ, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Earth Sciences, Free University of Berlin, 12249 Berlin, Germany
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9
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Jacquemot P, Viennet JC, Bernard S, Le Guillou C, Rigaud B, Delbes L, Georgelin T, Jaber M. The degradation of organic compounds impacts the crystallization of clay minerals and vice versa. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20251. [PMID: 31882914 PMCID: PMC6934458 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56756-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Expanding our capabilities to unambiguously identify ancient traces of life in ancient rocks requires laboratory experiments to better constrain the evolution of biomolecules during advanced fossilization processes. Here, we submitted RNA to hydrothermal conditions in the presence of a gel of Al-smectite stoichiometry at 200 °C for 20 days. NMR and STXM-XANES investigations revealed that the organic fraction of the residues is no longer RNA, nor the quite homogeneous aromatic-rich residue obtained in the absence of clays, but rather consists of particles of various chemical composition including amide-rich compounds. Rather than the pure clays obtained in the absence of RNA, electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and diffraction (XRD) data showed that the mineralogy of the experimental residues includes amorphous silica and aluminosilicates mixed together with nanoscales phosphates and clay minerals. In addition to the influence of clay minerals on the degradation of organic compounds, these results evidence the influence of the presence of organic compounds on the nature of the mineral assemblage, highlighting the importance of fine-scale mineralogical investigations when discussing the nature/origin of organo-mineral microstructures found in ancient rocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Jacquemot
- National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), Sorbonne University, CNRS, Institute of Mineralogy, Material Physics and Cosmochemistry (IMPMC - UMR 7590), F-75005, Paris, France
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, Laboratory of Molecular and Structural Archeology (LAMS - UMR 8220), F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Viennet
- National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), Sorbonne University, CNRS, Institute of Mineralogy, Material Physics and Cosmochemistry (IMPMC - UMR 7590), F-75005, Paris, France
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, Laboratory of Molecular and Structural Archeology (LAMS - UMR 8220), F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Bernard
- National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), Sorbonne University, CNRS, Institute of Mineralogy, Material Physics and Cosmochemistry (IMPMC - UMR 7590), F-75005, Paris, France.
| | | | | | - Ludovic Delbes
- National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), Sorbonne University, CNRS, Institute of Mineralogy, Material Physics and Cosmochemistry (IMPMC - UMR 7590), F-75005, Paris, France
| | | | - Maguy Jaber
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, Laboratory of Molecular and Structural Archeology (LAMS - UMR 8220), F-75005, Paris, France
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10
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Alleon J, Flannery DT, Ferralis N, Williford KH, Zhang Y, Schuessler JA, Summons RE. Organo-mineral associations in chert of the 3.5 Ga Mount Ada Basalt raise questions about the origin of organic matter in Paleoarchean hydrothermally influenced sediments. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16712. [PMID: 31723181 PMCID: PMC6853986 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53272-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrothermal and metamorphic processes could have abiotically produced organo-mineral associations displaying morphological and isotopic characteristics similar to those of fossilized microorganisms in ancient rocks, thereby leaving false-positive evidence for early life in the geological record. Recent studies revealed that geologically-induced alteration processes do not always completely obliterate all molecular information about the original organic precursors of ancient microfossils. Here, we report the molecular, geochemical, and mineralogical composition of organo-mineral associations in a chert sample from the ca. 3.47 billion-year-old (Ga) Mount Ada Basalt, in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. Our observations indicate that the molecular characteristics of carbonaceous matter are consistent with hydrothermally altered biological organics, although significantly distinct from that of organic microfossils discovered in a chert sample from the ca. 3.43 Ga Strelley Pool Formation in the same area. Alternatively, the presence of native metal alloys in the chert, previously believed to be unstable in such hydrothermally influenced environments, indicates strongly reducing conditions that were favorable for the abiotic formation of organic matter. Drawing definitive conclusions about the origin of most Paleoarchean organo-mineral associations therefore requires further characterization of a range of natural samples together with experimental simulations to constrain the molecular composition and geological fate of hydrothermally-generated condensed organics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Alleon
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
- Now at Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - David T Flannery
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Nicola Ferralis
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kenneth H Williford
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Roger E Summons
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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11
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Javaux EJ. Challenges in evidencing the earliest traces of life. Nature 2019; 572:451-460. [PMID: 31435057 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1436-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Earth has been habitable for 4.3 billion years, and the earliest rock record indicates the presence of a microbial biosphere by at least 3.4 billion years ago-and disputably earlier. Possible traces of life can be morphological or chemical but abiotic processes that mimic or alter them, or subsequent contamination, may challenge their interpretation. Advances in micro- and nanoscale analyses, as well as experimental approaches, are improving the characterization of these biosignatures and constraining abiotic processes, when combined with the geological context. Reassessing the evidence of early life is challenging, but essential and timely in the quest to understand the origin and evolution of life, both on Earth and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle J Javaux
- Early Life Traces & Evolution-Astrobiology, UR Astrobiology, Department of Geology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
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12
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Alleon J, Summons RE. Organic geochemical approaches to understanding early life. Free Radic Biol Med 2019; 140:103-112. [PMID: 30858060 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Here we discuss the early geological record of preserved organic carbon and the criteria that must be applied to distinguish biological from non-biological origins. Sedimentary graphite, irrespective of its isotopic composition, does not constitute a reliable biosignature because the rocks in which it is found are generally metamorphosed to the point where convincing signs of life have been erased. Rather, multiple lines of evidence, including sedimentary textures, microfossils, large accumulations of organic matter and isotopic data for co-existing carbon, nitrogen and sulfur are required before biological origin can be convincingly demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Alleon
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Roger E Summons
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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13
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Fei Q, Zhang N, Sun C, Zhang P, Yang X, Hua Y, Li L. A novel non-enzymatic sensing platform for determination of 5'-guanosine monophosphate in meat. Food Chem 2019; 286:515-521. [PMID: 30827641 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.02.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) doped carboxylated MWCNTs nanocomposite was synthesized using a simple method. The composite films containing 45 wt%, 50 wt%, 56 wt%, 67 wt% fraction of the carboxylated MWCNTs doped into g-C3N4 were fabricated and characterized. An electrochemical non-enzymatic sensor for determination of 5'-guanosine monophosphate (GMP) based on the nanocomposite was developed. The results indicate that the g-C3N4-carboxylated MWCNTs nanocomposite has highly electrocatalytic activity, good conductivity and biocompatibility, which plays an essential role in the determination of GMP. Under the optimum conditions, the linear fitting equation was I (µA) = -0.0022c (μg·mL-1) + 0.3560 (R2 = 0.9982). The linear range was from 0.5 to 100 μg·mL-1 and the detection limit (LOD, S/N = 3) was 0.109 μg·mL-1. This non-enzymatic sensor can offer a better alternative to other methods for the analysis of GMP because of cheap cost, low detection limit and good anti-jamming capability in meat quality evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Fei
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Nana Zhang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Chong Sun
- Institute of Agricultural Products Processing, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, PR China
| | - Panpan Zhang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Xiaodi Yang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China.
| | - Yunhui Hua
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210003, PR China.
| | - Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials of Nanjing, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing 211171, PR China
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14
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The Taphonomy of Proterozoic Microbial Mats and Implications for Early Diagenetic Silicification. GEOSCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/geosciences9010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The complex nature of growth and decomposition in microbial mats results in a broad range of microbial preservation. Such taphonomic variability complicates both the description of microbial elements preserved within geologic materials and the potential interpretation of microbial biomarkers. This study uses a taphonomic assessment to explore the preservation of different microbial components within silicified microbial mats of the late Mesoproterozoic (~1.0 Ga) Angmaat Formation, Bylot Supergroup, Baffin Island. The Angmaat Formation consists of unmetamorphosed and essentially undeformed strata that represent intertidal to supratidal deposition within an evaporative microbial flat. Early diagenetic silicification preserved microbial communities across a range of environments, from those episodically exposed to persistently submerged. Here, we present the development of a new methodology involving the use of high-resolution image mosaics to investigate the taphonomy of microfossils preserved in these mats. A taphonomic grade is assigned using a modified classification that accounts for both the taphonomic preservation state (good, fair, poor) of individual microfossils, as well as the degree of compaction of the overall mat. We show that although various taphonomic states occur within each of the silicified mats, the overall taphonomic assessment differentiates between well-preserved mats that are interpreted to have been silicified during active growth, to highly degraded and compacted mats that are interpreted to represent preservation during later stages of biological decomposition. These data indicate that even small changes in the timing of silicification may have substantial implications on our identification of microbial biomarkers and, therefore, our interpretation of early Earth ecosystems.
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Nakashima S, Kebukawa Y, Kitadai N, Igisu M, Matsuoka N. Geochemistry and the Origin of Life: From Extraterrestrial Processes, Chemical Evolution on Earth, Fossilized Life's Records, to Natures of the Extant Life. Life (Basel) 2018; 8:E39. [PMID: 30241342 PMCID: PMC6315873 DOI: 10.3390/life8040039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2001, the first author (S.N.) led the publication of a book entitled "Geochemistry and the origin of life" in collaboration with Dr. Andre Brack aiming to figure out geo- and astro-chemical processes essential for the emergence of life. Since then, a great number of research progress has been achieved in the relevant topics from our group and others, ranging from the extraterrestrial inputs of life's building blocks, the chemical evolution on Earth with the aid of mineral catalysts, to the fossilized records of ancient microorganisms. Here, in addition to summarizing these findings for the origin and early evolution of life, we propose a new hypothesis for the generation and co-evolution of photosynthesis with the redox and photochemical conditions on the Earth's surface. Besides these bottom-up approaches, we introduce an experimental study on the role of water molecules in the life's function, focusing on the transition from live, dormant, and dead states through dehydration/hydration. Further spectroscopic studies on the hydrogen bonding behaviors of water molecules in living cells will provide important clues to solve the complex nature of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Nakashima
- Department of Earth and Space Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.
- Undergraduate School of Physics, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.
| | - Yoko Kebukawa
- Department of Earth and Space Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.
- Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan.
| | - Norio Kitadai
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Motoko Igisu
- Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan.
| | - Natsuki Matsuoka
- Undergraduate School of Physics, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.
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