title: The subsurface origin of microbial life on the Earth.
abstract: Life on Earth can be divided into life on the surface made possible by photosynthesis and subsurface life with chemical energy as the driving force. An understanding of both environments is central to our understanding of the origin of life, the search for novel microbial species in the subsurface and for extraterrestrial life or life signatures. In this manuscript, the surface and subsurface worlds are examined with a focus on the origin or assembly of bacterial life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, ON, Canada. jtrevors@uoguelph.ca
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Trevors
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria; D018534:Earth, Planet; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D006358:Hot Temperature; D000069497:Origin of Life; D013816:Thermodynamics