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Biomolecules from Living and Fossil Metasequoia: Biological and Geological Applications

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The Geobiology and Ecology of Metasequoia

Part of the book series: Topics in Geobiology ((TGBI,volume 22))

Abstract

Biomolecules from living and fossil Metasequoia Miki provide insight into the biological and geological history of the genus, as well as its phylogeny and evolution, population structure and molecular taphonomy. Chemically labile biomolecules such as protein and nucleotide sequences from Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng have reconfirmed the systematic position of Metasequoia as the sister taxon to Sequoia Endlicher and Sequoiadendron J. Buchholz. These three genera form the subfamily Sequoioideae, which is one of the basal groups of the Taxodiaceae-Cupressaceae complex. Relative rate testing based on different gene sequences suggests an evolutionary rate slow down in the Sequoioideae lineage. Non-sequence based molecular studies indicate a low overall genetic diversity and a lack of spatial genetic structure in its native population in southern China. An isolated tree in Paomu, Hunan Province was found to contain both molecular and morphological plesiomorphic characteristics, providing important clues to its evolutionary history. Moreover, given the importance of these data, critical conservation issues are raised regarding the management and preservation of the genus. Molecular and biochemical investigations of ancient biomolecules from well-preserved Tertiary fossil Metasequoia remains reveal the preservation of labile biomolecules such as carbohydrates that are normally absent from the Cenozoic fossil record. Comparative geochemical and SEM analyses of well preserved fossil specimens revealed the sources of these chemically unstable biomolecules and suggests that they may carry important structural functions to support the integrity of plant fossil morphology. These ancient biomolecules from fossil Metasequoia also offer valuable information regarding the environmental factors controlling the preservation of labile biomolecules and possible origins of homologous series of n-alk-1-ene/n-alkane pairs preserved in the geological record.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science and Technology, College of Arts and Sciences, Bryant University, 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, Rhode Island, 02917, USA

    Hong Yang

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  1. Hong Yang
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  1. URS Corporation, 335 Commerce Drive, Suite 300, Pennsylvania, 19034, USA

    Ben A. LePage

  2. Department of Earth and Environment, Franklin and Marshall College, P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 17604, USA

    Christopher J. Williams

  3. Department of Science and Technology, Bryant University, 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, Rhode Island, 02917, USA

    Hong Yang

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Yang, H. (2005). Biomolecules from Living and Fossil Metasequoia: Biological and Geological Applications. In: LePage, B.A., Williams, C.J., Yang, H. (eds) The Geobiology and Ecology of Metasequoia. Topics in Geobiology, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-2764-8_8

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