Exploring Biogeochemistry and Microbial Diversity of Extant Microbialites in Mexico and Cuba.

ABSTRACT: Microbialites are modern analogs of ancient microbial consortia that date as far back as the Archaean Eon. Microbialites have contributed to the geochemical history of our planet through their diverse metabolic capacities that mediate mineral precipitation. These mineral-forming microbial assemblages accumulate major ions, trace elements and biomass from their ambient aquatic environments; their role in the resulting chemical structure of these lithifications needs clarification. We studied the biogeochemistry and microbial structure of microbialites collected from diverse locations in Mexico and in a previously undescribed microbialite in Cuba. We examined their structure, chemistry and mineralogy at different scales using an array of nested methods including 16S rRNA gene high-throughput

SUBMITTER: Valdespino-Castillo PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5891642 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature