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  4. Nanobacteria-like calcite single crystals at the surface of the Tataouine meteorite
 
research article

Nanobacteria-like calcite single crystals at the surface of the Tataouine meteorite

Menguy, N.
•
Guyot, F.
•
Dominici, C.
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2003
Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America (PNAS)

Nanobacteria-like objects evidenced at the surface of the orthopy-roxenes of the Tataouine meteorite in South Tunisia have been studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopies. A method of micromanipulation has been developed to ensure that exactly the same objects were studied by both methods. We have shown that the nanobacteria-like objects are spatially correlated with filaments of microorganisms that colonized the surface of the meteoritic pyroxene during its 70 years of residence in the aridic Tataouine soil. Depressions of a few micrometers in depth are observed in the pyroxene below the carbonates, indicating preferential dissolution of the pyroxene and calcite precipitation at these locations. The nanobacteria-like small rods that constitute calcium carbonate rosettes are well crystallized calcite single crystals surrounded by a thin amorphous layer of carbonate composition that smoothes the crystal edges and induces rounded shapes. Those morphologies are unusual for calcite single crystals observed in natural samples. A survey of recent literature suggests that the intervention of organic compounds derived from biological activity is likely in their formation.

  • Details
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Type
research article
DOI
10.1073/pnas.0832464100
Web of Science ID

WOS:000183845800008

Author(s)
Menguy, N.
Guyot, F.
Dominici, C.
Gillet, P.  
Benzerara, K.
Date Issued

2003

Publisher

National Academy of Sciences

Published in
Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America (PNAS)
Volume

100

Start page

7438

End page

7442

Subjects

Martian Meteorite

•

Carbonate

•

Bacteria

•

Vaterite

•

Search

•

Life

•

Allan-Hills-84001

•

Precipitation

•

Microfossils

•

Nanofossils

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

OTHER

EPFL units
EPSL  
Available on Infoscience
September 29, 2011
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/71228
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