Biomarkers

Definition

​For an organic geochemist, biomarkers are compounds found in geosphere that have retained enough structural or chemical information to be related to a single or a group of  source organisms. 

Hopane, specific to bacteria, is a biomarker.

Sterane, specific to eukaryote, is a biomarker.  

​Isorenieratene derivatives are biomarkers and derive from the brown strain of the green sulfur bacteria Chlorobiaceae.

Examples of Biomarkers

Biomarkers of Archaea