Rapid and comprehensive identification of plant molecular fossils for high-resolution paleovegetation reconstruction

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18016
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Stratigraphy/Paleontology; Geochemistry/Cosmochemistry
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Hideto 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 特任講師 (00785123)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 植物バイオマーカー / GC-MS / 化合物ライブラリ / マススペクトル / バイオマーカー / 分子化石 / 堆積物 / 古植生

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Towards the high-resolution reconstruction of paleovegetation by molecular fossil analysis, a rapid and comprehensive analysis method of plant molecular fossils were developed. (1) A wide sample set with different ages and maturity was analyzed for its molecular facies, and (2) a new mass spectra library of plant biomarkers were constructed with mass spectrum and retention index obtained in this study. In addition, (3) use of the library with deconvolution software enabled semiautomatic workflow on convenient identification of major plant molecular fossils. Although the detection accuracy of small peaks is not yet up to manual analysis, a rapid assay of molecular facies and provisional calculation of paleovegetation indices have become possible.

Free Research Field

有機地球化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

植物分子化石解析による古植生解析のための基盤的な技術を開発した。形態の保存された花粉や植物化石が産出しない層準においても、極微量に含まれる有機分子から古植生情報を得ることができる。本研究で構築した古植生指標の計算に必要な植物有機分子化石のマススペクトルと保持指数を収録したライブラリは、古植生解析のみならず植物分子化石に着目した応用研究に広く活用されると期待される。