Cited by 365Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsOrigins and Evolution of LifeGeological and Geochemical Analysis

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 32 of the 32 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Early Archaean Microorganisms Preferred Elemental Sulfur, Not Sulfate

Philippot, Pascal, Van Zuilen, Mark, Lepot, Kevin, Thomazo, Christophe, Farquhar, James, Van Kranendonk, Martin J.·2007·Science

DOI 10.1126/science.1145861

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Microscopic sulfides with low 34 S/ 32 S ratios in marine sulfate deposits from the 3490-million-yearold Dresser Formation, Australia, have been interpreted as evidence for the presence of early sulfate-reducing organisms on Earth. We show that these microscopic sulfides have a mass-independently fractionated sulfur isotopic anomaly (Δ 33 S) that differs from that of their host sulfate (barite). These microscopic sulfides could not have been produced by sulfate-reducing microbes, nor by abiologic processes that involve reduction of sulfate. Instead, we interpret the combined negative δ 34 S and positive Δ 33 S signature of these microscopic sulfides as evidence for the early existence of organisms that disproportionate elemental sulfur.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1126/science.1145861

Cites

32 of 32 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

We couldn’t retrieve this paper’s full text, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits
Barnes, H. L. (1968) · Digital Collections at BYU · Cited by 2,397
Atmospheric Influence of Earth's Earliest Sulfur Cycle
Farquhar, J., Bao, H., & Thiemens, M. (2000) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.289.5480.756 · Cited by 1,805
Self-citation
A new model for Proterozoic ocean chemistry
Canfield, D. E. (1998) · Nature · doi:10.1038/24839 · Cited by 1,243
Calibration of Sulfate Levels in the Archean Ocean
Habicht, K. S., Gade, M., Thamdrup, B., Berg, P., & Canfield, D. E. (2002) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1078265 · Cited by 756
Biogeochemistry of Sulfur Isotopes
Canfield, D. E. (2001) · Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry · doi:10.2138/gsrmg.43.1.607 · Cited by 732
Multiple sulfur isotopes and the evolution of the atmosphere
Farquhar, J., & Wing, B. A. (2003) · Earth and Planetary Science Letters · doi:10.1016/s0012-821x(03)00296-6 · Cited by 638
Self-citation
Isotopic evidence for microbial sulphate reduction in the early Archaean era
Shen, Y., Buick, R., & Canfield, D. E. (2001) · Nature · doi:10.1038/35065071 · Cited by 620
Calibration of Sulfate Levels in the Archean Ocean
Gao, X., Thiemens, M. H., Farquhar, J. D., Jackson, T. L., Savarino, J., Airieau, S., Albarède, F., van der Hilst, R. D., & Kárason, H. (2002) · Cited by 607
Self-citation
The Production of 34 S-Depleted Sulfide During Bacterial Disproportionation of Elemental Sulfur
Canfield, D. E., & Thamdrup, B. (1994) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.11540246 · Cited by 605
Isotope fractionation by natural populations of sulfate-reducing bacteria
Canfield, D. E. (2001) · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta · doi:10.1016/s0016-7037(00)00584-6 · Cited by 525

Flagged first, then by citations

Show all 32 references

Research works printed but not linked: 4

R. I. Thorpe, A. H. Hickman, D. W. Davis, J. K. Mortensen, A. F. Trendall, in The Archaean: Terrains, Processes and Metallogeny, J. E. Glover, S. Ho, Eds. (University of Western Australia, Perth, 1992), vol. 22, pp. 395–408.
B. Runnegar, W. A. Dollase, R. A. Ketcham, M. Colbert, W. D. Carlson, Geol. Soc. Am. (Abstr. 2001), p. 404A.
J. P. Amend, K. L. Rogers, D. R. Meyer-Dombard, in Sulfur Biogeochemistry—Past and Present J. P. Amend, K. J. Edwards, T. W. Lyons, Eds. (Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO, 2004), vol. 379, pp. 17–34.
K. O. Stetter, G. Fiala, G. Huber, R. Huber, G. Segerer, Microbiol. Rev.75, 117 (1990).

Sorted by citations

Items 301–363 of 363

Transcriptional response to elemental sulfur in Geobacter sulfurreducens
Inoue, M., Fujita, D., Izu, Y., Aono, R., & Mihara, H. (2025) · Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1093/bbb/zbaf106 · Cited by 1
Sulfur disproportionation in engineered environmental systems: A critical review of mechanisms, applications, and emerging perspectives
Zhang, Y., Li, Y., Zhang, Q., Wang, W., Wang, X.-T., Zhao, L., Wang, A. J., Ma, J., Lee, D., Ren, N.-Q., et al. (2026) · Water Research · doi:10.1016/j.watres.2026.125856 · Cited by 1
Optimizing sulfur disproportionation for autotrophic denitrification: An integrated approach of process parameter analysis and machine learning
Lu, Z., Peng, X., Han, Y., Xu, Y., & Peng, L. (2026) · Biochemical Engineering Journal · doi:10.1016/j.bej.2026.110195 · Cited by 1
Resurrected nitrogenases recapitulate canonical N-isotope biosignatures over two billion years
Rucker, H. R., Bubphamanee, K., Harris, D. F., Konhauser, K. O., Seefeldt, L. C., Buick, R., & Kaçar, B. (2026) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-025-67423-y · Cited by 1
Prehistory of the Lomagundi–Jatuli Event in the Karelian Craton: Lithology of the Jatulian Terrigenous Rocks in the Segozero Structure
Silaeva, O. M., Erofeeva, K. G., Самсонов, А. В., Stepanova, A. V., Fateeva, A. A., Ustinova, V. V., Sukhanova, M. A., Bessmertnyi, K. N., & Maksimov, O. A. (2026) · Stratigraphy and Geological Correlation · doi:10.1134/s0869593825700352 · Cited by 1
Sulfur isotopes as a tracer for biogenic sulfate reduction in natural environments A link between modern and ancient ecosystems
Stam, M. C., Ultraiectina, G., & Stam, M. C. (2010) · Cited by 1
What Is the Ultimate Ancestor? Evidence from Fossils and Gene Analyses
Nakazawa, H. (2018) · Advances in geological science · doi:10.1007/978-981-10-8724-0_3 · Cited by 1
Fossil Bacteria
Rickard, D. T. (2012) · Developments in sedimentology · doi:10.1016/b978-0-444-52989-3.00016-7 · Cited by 1
From Ionizing Radiation to Photosynthesis
Melkozernov, A. N. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-1148-6_13 · Cited by 1
Unexpectedly abiotic
Wing, B. A. (2012) · Nature Geoscience · doi:10.1038/ngeo1561 · Cited by 1
The Linoleic-to-Linolenic Dietary Intake Ratio: The Fundamental Implications of Imbalance and Excess Looked at from Both a Functional and an Evolutionary Perspective: An Overview
Brown, R. A. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-40458-5_27 · Cited by 1
Earth's Oldest Rocks.: MARTIN J. VAN KRANENDONK, R. HUGH SMITHIES, and VICKIE C. BENNETT, Editors. Pp. 1307. 2007. Developments in Precambrian Geology. 15. El-sevier. Amsterdam. ISBN-13: 978-0-444-52810-0, ISBN-10: 0-444-52810-5. Price: USD150.
de Wit, M. (2008) · Economic Geology · doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.103.5.1079 · Cited by 1
Biosignatures of modern microbial mats, Kiritimati/Kiribati, Central Pacific
Yan, S. (2019) · doi:10.53846/goediss-7684 · Cited by 1
Isotope Biosignatures
Eroglu, S., Thomazo, C., & Strauß, H. (2022) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_182-3 · Cited by 1
Self-citation
Isotope Biosignatures
Thomazo, C., & Strauß, H. (2014) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_182-2 · Cited by 1
Self-citation
Géochimie et minéralogie des formations argileuses (2.2 - 2.0 Ga) du bassin de Franceville au Gabon : fluctuations de l'oxygène atmosphérique, chimie des océans et diagenèse au Paléoprotérozoïque
Ngombi-Pemba, L.-P. (2014) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/8ab8264ez6af4z4945z9cc0z1481e3f28942 · Cited by 1
Stable isotope probing-based ecophysiological analysis of sulphate-reducing microorganisms in an acidic fen
Bittner, N. (2010) · University of Vienna · doi:10.25365/thesis.8103
AN ASTROBIOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF MASS DEPENDENT AND MASS INDEPENDENT SULFUR ISOTOPE FRACTIONATION
Rodzinyak, K. J. (2012)
The origin of life from a paleontological perspective, a review
Gómez-Espinosa, C., García, M. C., & Mendoza, A. N. (2015) · Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana · doi:10.18268/bsgm2015v67n3a5
Quoi de neuf en médecine en 2007 ?
Sibilia, J. (2007) · Annales de Dermatologie et de Vénéréologie · doi:10.1016/s0151-9638(07)80558-8
Exploring the Functional Roles of π-helices and Flavin-Induced Oligomeric State Changes in Flavin Reductases of Two-Component Monooxygenase Systems
Musila, J. M. (2017)
Archean Traces of Life
McLoughlin, N. (2015) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_101
Sulfur reduction coupling with anaerobic ammonium oxidation power the origin of lifePreprint
Bao, P., Li, G., & Li, H. (2018) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Assessing the formation and preservation of organic signatures in extreme environments in the context of the ExoMars 2020 rover mission
Reinhardt, M. (2019) · eDiss (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen) · doi:10.53846/goediss-7650
On apparent mass-independent fractionation (MIF) signatures from phase partitioning at equilibrium
Campisi, L. (2019) · Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies · doi:10.1080/10256016.2019.1688318
The organic component of the earliest sulfur cyclingPreprint
Fakhraee, M., & Katsev, S. (2019) · doi:10.31223/osf.io/k5mh3
Archaean Traces of Life
McLoughlin, N. (2021) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_101-6
Dresser Formation, Traces of Life
Buntin, R. C. C., & Noffke, N. (2021) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_5513-1
Archean Traces of Life
McLoughlin, N. (2014) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_101-5
References
(2011) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781444394870.refs
˜3,490 Ma Dresser Formation, East Pilbara, Western Australia
Wacey, D. (2009) · Topics in geobiology · doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-9389-0_8
Sulfur Isotopes
Farquhar, J. D. (2015) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1540
Self-citation
Isotope Biosignatures
Thomazo, C., & Strauß, H. (2015) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_182
Self-citation
Sulfur Isotopes
Farquhar, J. D. (2014) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1540-3
Self-citation
Warrawoona Large Igneous Province, 3530–3427 Ma
Hickman, A. H. (2023) · Modern approaches in solid earth sciences · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-18007-1_3
Sulfur Isotopes
Farquhar, J. D. (2023) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-65093-6_1540
Self-citation
Isotope Biosignatures
Eroglu, S., Thomazo, C., & Strauß, H. (2023) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-65093-6_182
Self-citation
Archaean Traces of Life
McLoughlin, N. (2023) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-65093-6_101
Dresser Formation, Traces of Life
Buntin, R. C. C., & Noffke, N. (2023) · Encyclopedia of Astrobiology · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-65093-6_5513
Occurrence State and Transformation of Sulfur on the Control of Gold Mineralization: A Case Study of the Haiyu Gold Deposit in Northwest Jiaodong Peninsula, ChinaPreprint
Lan, R., Zhang, L., Song, M., Duan, Z., Tang, S., Li, Y., & Ma, S. (2023) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4619494
SULFIDE SULFUR ISOTOPE SOURCES OF THE NEOARCHEAN IRON ORE DEPOSITS IN THE KOSTOMUKSHA GREENSTONE BELT, KARELIA (RUSSIA)
Vysotskiy, S. V., Ханчук, А. И., Velivetskaya, T. A., Ignatiev, A. V., Асеева, А. В., & Нестерова, Н. С. (2023) · Доклады РОССИЙСКОЙ АКАДЕМИИ НАУК Науки о Земле · doi:10.31857/s2686739722602988
Atmosphere and biological impact during sulfide formation in the Archean Central-Vozhma sulfide deposit (Karelia)
Vysotskiy, S. V., Velivetskaya, T. A., Ignatiev, A. V., & Асеева, А. В. (2024) · Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University Geo Assets Engineering · doi:10.18799/24131830/2024/7/4388
Paleobiology of a Hydrothermal Dike Complex Associated with the ~3.43Ga Strelley Pool Formation
Zepeda, V. K. (2024) · Queensland University of Technology · doi:10.5204/thesis.eprints.251296
Biosignatures of an ancient bedrock- and impact structure-hosted deep biosphere: current knowledge and future perspectives
Gustafsson, J., & Drake, H. (2025) · Discover Geoscience · doi:10.1007/s44288-025-00176-9
Temperature and Chemical Composition of Precambrian Oceans
Marin‐Carbonne, J., & Thomazo, C. (2025) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781394417865.ch5
Self-citation
Origins of Life and the Fossil Record
Bernard, S. (2025) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781394417865.ch8
Geobiological significance and identification methods of different types of pyrites
Kai-tai, Y. A. N. G., Ke-yu, Z. H. U., Chao-qun, J. I. A. O., Dong-dong, L. I., & Luo, G. (2025) · Bulletin of Mineralogy Petrology and Geochemistry · doi:10.3724/j.issn.1007-2802.20250084
Origin and evolution of biogeochemical cycles
King, G. M., & Fenchel, T. (2026) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-15883-4.00014-1
Microbial activity preserved in 3.4 Ga colloform pyrite: A micro–scale sulfur isotope analyses
Sasaki, K., Takahata, N., Ishida, A., Kakegawa, T., & Sugitani, K. (2026) · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta · doi:10.1016/j.gca.2026.03.005
Composition isotopique de l'oxygène et du silicium des cherts Précambriens : implications Paléo-environnementales
Marin‐Carbonne, J. (2009) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/4efdd713z774az4957z82f9z13680ca65b10
Physiologie des procaryotes sulfato-réducteurs : dégradation d'hydrocarbures et oxydo-réduction d'éléments métalliques
Ali, O. A. (2013) · doi:10.70675/694363f5z8e39z4a9cz873az46777ecc3c1c
Life before oxygen : linking phylogenomics and paleogeochemistry to unravel the nature and function of microbiota in the early Archean
Adam, P. S. (2018) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/16d801b1z23dfz475az8b07zaf20d0424d35
Micro et nanoanalyses des microfossiles du Protérozoïque et de tapis microbiens fossiles
Fadel, A. (2018) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/ac8564a2zfac0z47a4za5b7z6830683d747b
Caractérisation de médiateurs de la signalisation de l'oxygène singulet chez les plantes conduisant à la mort cellulaire ou à la tolérance à la forte lumière
Beaugelin, I. (2018) · doi:10.70675/ae9b8e04ze849z4c5ez99a5z5404b9ecc4c5
Diagenèse précoce et préservation de la matière organique sédimentaire en milieu salé alcalin : cas du Lac Dziani Dzaha (Mayotte)
Jovović, I. (2020) · doi:10.70675/b35ee870z240bz4748z82dbz7c24f6bd9293
Physiological and multi-omics studies of microbial sulfur metabolisms present in hydrothermal ecosystems
Allioux, M. (2021) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/15498436ze1b5z47c9z8542z4b42e1219b52
Origin of negative Δ33S anomalies and Δ36S–Δ33S trends in 3700 Ma Isua sulfides: Searching for evidence of Eoarchean life in dolomitic meta-sedimentary rocks
Ávila, J. N., Nutman, A. P., Bennett, V. C., Friend, C. R. L., & Kranendonk, M. J. V. (2026) · Precambrian Research · doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2026.108188
Antibiotics regulate bacterial diversification, niche expansion and evolution under primordial conditions
Qiu, M., He, Y.-Q., Li, S., Wu, X.-T., Su, J., Hao, L.-K., & Bao, P. (2026) · Biochimie · doi:10.1016/j.biochi.2026.06.013
Biochemistry and transcriptional regulation of bacterial sulfur oxidation
Mohr, M. G., Tanabe, T. S., Grosser, M., & Dahl, C. (2026) · Advances in microbial physiology/Advances in Microbial Physiology · doi:10.1016/bs.ampbs.2026.06.003
Metagenomics deciphers diagenetic processes of ferruginous mineralization in the deep biosphere
Vuillemin, A., Ruiz-Blas, F., Yang, S., Bartholomäus, A., Wagner, D., Henny, C., Russell, J. M., & Kallmeyer, J. (2026) · Communications Earth & Environment · doi:10.1038/s43247-026-03898-x
Advancing the Resolution of the Sulfur Compound Disproportionation Puzzle in Dissulfuribacter Thermophilus S69ᵀ Through Quantitative Label‐Free Comparative Proteomics
Fernández, M., Schoepp‐Cothenet, B., Hemon, M., Rodrigues, C. M., Novák, L., Philippon, X., Laurent, S., Henry, C., & Alain, K. (2026) · Environmental Microbiology Reports · doi:10.1111/1758-2229.70406
Carbon and Sulfur Isotopes of Microfossils and Pyrites from Neoarchean Cherts: Microbial Diversity in an Ancient Deep-Marine Environment
Osterhout, J. T., Czaja, A. D., Williford, K. H., & Kitajima, K. (2026) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1177/15311074261485886
Crystallographic and biochemical studies on dissimilatory sulfite reductases
Oliveira, T. F. (2011) · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)

Authors: Philippot, P., Van Zuilen, M., Lepot, K., Thomazo, C., Farquhar, J., & Van Kranendonk, M. J.
Affiliations: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
Equipe Géobiosphère Actuelle et Primitive, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS and Université Denis Diderot, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris cedex, France.
Corresponding author: Philippot, Pascal
ORCID: Philippot, Pascal
Van Zuilen, Mark
Thomazo, Christophe
Farquhar, James
Venue: Science
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Published: 2007-09-14
Volume: 317
Issue: 5844
Pages: 1534-1537
ISSN: 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
1095-9203
DOI: 10.1126/science.1145861
OpenAlex: W2049155474
Cited by: 365
References: 32
Citations by year: 2026: 14 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 33
FWCI: 17.69
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Science (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
HAL (submittedVersion)
Digital Access to Libraries (Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), l'Université de Namur (UNamur) and the Université Saint-Louis (USL-B)) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geological and Geochemical Analysis
Keywords: elemental sulfur, sulfur isotopes, sulfate-reducing bacteria, Dresser Formation, barite, early Earth, microbial sulfur cycling
MeSH terms: Australia, Barium Sulfate, Cold Climate, Hydrogen Sulfide, Oxidation-Reduction, Sulfates, Sulfur, Sulfur Isotopes, Temperature, Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria, Geologic Sediments

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Early Archaean Microorganisms Preferred Elemental Sulfur, Not Sulfate

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks