Nitrogen isotope signatures of microfossils suggest aerobic metabolism 3.0 Gyr ago.

There is compelling evidence for early oxygenation of mid-Archean oceans. However, the biological use of molecular oxygen is still not ascertained. Here we report the nitrogen isotope composition measured in isolated microfossils (δ15Nµm) from the 3.0 billion years old Farrel Quartzite metasediments. We show that the quasi-null bulk δ15N values of Farrel Quartzite organic matter encompass a large 15N isotopic heterogeneity at the scale of isolated microfossils (-21.6 ‰ < δ15Nµm < +30.7 ‰). Rayleigh fractionation is required to yield such large δ15N variations. Based on these data, we propose a model in which negative δ15Nµm values determined on film-like and on spheroidal microfossils are explained by ammonia assimilation in the anoxic deeper levels of the water column, whereas positive δ15Nµm values determined on lenticular microfossils were driven by both ammonia assimilation and aerobic oxidation close to the sea surface. Since ammonium aerobic oxidation requires the presence of free molecular O2 within the water column, we further suggest that positive δ15Nµm values reflect an ocean redox stratification tightly related to O2 production by oxygenic photosynthesisers in a mid-Archean ocean 3.0 Gyr ago.