In-situ Detection of Squalane in Sedimentary Organic Matter Using Monoclonal Antibodies

Sedimentary geolipids can serve as powerful tools for reconstructing ancient ecosystems, but only if investigators can demonstrate that the hydrocarbons are indigenous to their host rocks. The association of molecules with primary sedimentary fabrics could indicate a syngenetic relationship. However, traditional biomarker analyses require extraction from large quantities of powdered rock, confounding detailed spatial correlations. Biological studies commonly use antibodies as extremely sensitive molecular probes. When coupled with fluorescent labels, antibodies allow for the visual localization of molecules. Here we show that monoclonal antibodies that bind specifically to geolipid compounds can be used for in situ detection and labeling of such compounds in mineral-bound organic macerals. Monoclonal antibodies to squalene, produced for human health studies, also react with the geolipid, squalane. We show that squalene antibodies do not react with other common sedimentary hydrocarbons. We also show that squalane antibodies bind specifically to isolated organic-rich lamina in Eocene-age, squalane-containing rocks. These results suggest that squalane is confined to discrete organo-sedimentary fabrics within those rocks, providing evidence for its syngeneity. The chemical similarity of squalane to other sedimentary hydrocarbons hints at the potential for developing monoclonal antibodies to a variety of biomarkers that could then be localized in rocks, sediments, and extant cells.