Applications of Raman Spectroscopy in paleobiology and astrobiology

• Grant number: 12/18936-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: February 01, 2013 - January 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences
• Principal Investigator: Setembrino Petri
• Grantee: Setembrino Petri
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IGC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Douglas Galante ; Fabio Rodrigues ; Jorge Ernesto Horvath ; Juliana de Moraes Leme Basso ; Mírian Liza Alves Forancelli Pacheco ; Thomas Rich Fairchild

Abstract

The presented project aims to develop the use of techniques of molecular spectroscopy, in special Raman and infrared spectroscopy, for the study of important Brazilian fossil specimens. It will be the continuity of an ongoing collaboration between the research groups in paleobiology and astrobiology of USP. These techniques, which will be used in a complementary way with the classical chemical and geological analysis, are capable to furnish information about the chemical composition of the fossils and of the rock matrices in which they are embedded, allowing the identification of their original chemical compositions and also their paleoenvironmental contextualization (paleoclimate, chemical composition of the sediments/oceans, processes of fossildiagenesis, etc). The project is based on the intensive use of the facilities of the Astrobiology Laboratory - AstroLab from IAG-USP by the research group in paleobiology of IGc-USP, in collaboration through the Research Unity in Astrobiology (NAP-Astrobio / USP). This laboratory already has a Renishaw inVia Raman spectrometer, which will be refined and optimized to allow an adequate and ample study of fossils, as well as other samples of geological interest (rocks, minerals, etc). The use of molecular spectroscopy techniques is still in its beginning by the Brazilian paleobiological community, being the palebiology group at IGc-USP a pioneer in this field. Allied to the traditional techniques, molecular spectroscopy withholds great potential for a more profound study of a variety of important Brazilian fossils, broadening our understanding of the biological diversity and the paleoenvironmental conditions in this region of the planet, still not much explored. In special, the pre-Cambrian fauna and ecology will be the main subjects of study by the group, which is being organized through collaborations with specialists on different techniques of analysis, in an inter and multidisciplinary effort. (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GONCALVES, VIVIAN N.; CANTRELL, CHARLES L.; WEDGE, DAVID E.; FERREIRA, MARIANA C.; SOARES, MARCO AURELIO; JACOB, MELISSA R.; OLIVEIRA, FABIO S.; GALANTE, DOUGLAS; RODRIGUES, FABIO; ALVES, TANIA M. A.; et al. Fungi associated with rocks of the Atacama Desert: taxonomy, distribution, diversity, ecology and bioprospection for bioactive compounds. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, v. 18, n. 1, p. 232-245, JAN 2016. (12/18936-0)

OSES, GABRIEL L.; PETRI, SETEMBRINO; VOLTANI, CIBELE G.; PRADO, GUSTAVO M. E. M.; GALANTE, DOUGLAS; RIZZUTTO, MARCIA A.; RUDNITZKI, ISAAC D.; DA SILVA, EVANDRO P.; RODRIGUES, FABIO; RANGEL, ELIDIANE C.; et al. Deciphering pyritization-kerogenization gradient for fish soft-tissue preservation. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 7, MAY 3 2017. (12/18936-0, 12/00202-0)

OSES, GABRIEL LADEIRA; PETRI, SETEMBRINO; BECKER-KERBER, BRUNO; ROMERO, GUILHERME RAFFAELI; RIZZUTTO, MARCIA DE ALMEIDA; RODRIGUES, FABIO; GALANTE, DOUGLAS; DA SILVA, TIAGO FIORINI; CURADO, JESSICA F.; RANGEL, ELIDIANE CIPRIANO; et al. Deciphering the preservation of fossil insects: a case study from the Crato Member, Early Cretaceous of Brazil. PeerJ, v. 4, DEC 21 2016. (12/18936-0, 12/00202-0)

DE ARAUJO, GABRIEL GUARANY; RODRIGUES, FABIO; TEIXEIRA GONCALVES, FABIO LUIZ; GALANTE, DOUGLAS. Survival and ice nucleation activity of Pseudomonas syringae strains exposed to simulated high-altitude atmospheric conditions. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 9, MAY 23 2019. (12/18936-0, 16/06160-8)

CARDOSO, ALEXANDRE RIBEIRO; ROMERO, GUILHERME RAFFAELI; OSES, GABRIEL LADEIRA; RODRIGUES NOGUEIRA, AFONSO CESAR. Taphonomy of lacustrine fish fossils of the Parnaiba Basin, northeastern Brazil: Spatial and causative relations of Konservat Lagerstatten in West Gondwana during Jurassic-Cretaceous. PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY, v. 542, MAR 15 2020. (17/21584-1, 12/18936-0)

PULSCHEN, ANDRE A.; RODRIGUES, FABIO; DUARTE, RUBENS T. D.; ARAUJO, GABRIEL G.; SANTIAGO, IARA F.; PAULINO-LIMA, IVAN G.; ROSA, CARLOS A.; KATO, MASSUO J.; PELLIZARI, VIVIAN H.; GALANTE, DOUGLAS. UV-resistant yeasts isolated from a high-altitude volcanic area on the Atacama Desert as eukaryotic models for astrobiology. MICROBIOLOGYOPEN, v. 4, n. 4, p. 574-588, AUG 2015. (12/18936-0)