Abiotic Influences on the Early Evolution of Life
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Abiotic Influences on the Early Evolution of Life Indrani Mukherjee1 and Ross Corkrey2 1 Centre for Ore Deposit Studies and Earth Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia 2 Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
Definitions Anoxic: means lack of oxygen in a system. Asthenosphere: It is the lower molten, viscous, and ductile mantle. Biomarkers: They represent organism-specific biocompounds preserved in the rock. Cyanobacteria: They are also known as bluegreen algae and are prokaryotic microorganisms capable of oxygenic photosynthesis. Earth dynamics: It is the interplay of various earth system processes such as plate tectonics, formation of continents and oceans, weathering, erosion, and sedimentation. Eukarya/eukaryotes: They represent one of the three domains of life, the others being Bacteria and Archaea. Eukaryotes represent complex life, exhibiting cellular complexity such as cell nucleus, cell membrane, and cell organelles. Extrusive and intrusive rocks: Lava are extrusive rocks crystallizing from molten material exuded out on the surface of the earth. Magma are
intrusive rocks that crystallize from the same molten material within the crust. Gene duplication: It is a process that results in production of new genetic material during molecular evolution. Geological time scale: It is a chronological reference point used in Geology to ascertain timing of events in Earth’s history. Archean refers to period from 4.56 billion years ago (Ga) till 2.5 Ga; Proterozoic spans from 2.5 Ga or 2500 million years ago (Ma) until 540 Ma; Phanerozoic spans between 540 Ma and the present day. Horizontal gene transfer: The transfer of genetic material between species other than via DNA. Kinases: Enzymes that catalyze transfer of phosphate groups from high energy phosphate donating molecules to specific substrate; crucial for various cellular functions such as metabolism and cell signaling. Lithosphere: It is a collective term for the rigid Earth’s crust and upper predominantly solid mantle. The Earth is divided into crust, mantle, and core in order of increasing depth. Metallomics: It is the study of significance of metals and metalloids in biological systems. Oxic: It is the presence of sufficient oxygen in the system. Oxygenic photosynthesis: A process that uses light energy to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds by splitting water molecules to produce oxygen. Stromatolites: These are organo-sedimentary structures formed due to sequential trapping of
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suspended sediments in water column by mucouslike substances produced by microorganisms. Trace fossils: The remains or imprints of organisms in their resting or motile phases.
Introduction Rationale The transition from an inanimate and lifeless environment to the one with the first life is possibly the most intriguing event in Earth’s history. Th
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