Stability toward High Energy Radiation of Non-Proteinogenic Amino Acids: Implications for the Origins of Life

Life

Franco Cataldo³  Susana Iglesias-Groth¹  Giancarlo Angelini² 

[1] Astrophysical Institute of Canary Islands, Via Lactea s/n, La Laguna 38200, Tenerife, Spain; E-Mail:;Institute of Chemical Methodologies, CNR, Via Salaria Km 29,300, Monterotondo Stazione, Rome 00016, Italy; E-Mail:;Actinium Chemical Research srl, Via Casilina 1626A, Rome 00133, Italy

关键词: amino acids;    non-proteinogenic;    radiolysis;    degradation;    stability;    optical activity;    racemization;   

DOI  :  10.3390/life3030449

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

A series of non-proteinogenic amino acids, most of them found quite commonly in the meteorites known as carbonaceous chondrites, were subjected to solid state radiolysis in vacuum to a total radiation dose of 3.2 MGy corresponding to 23% of the total dose expected to be taken by organic molecules buried in asteroids and meteorites since the beginning of the solar system 4.6 × 10⁹ years ago. The radiolyzed amino acids were studied by FT-IR spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and by polarimety and Optical Rotatory Dispersion (ORD). It is shown that an important fraction of each amino acid is able to “survive” the massive dose of radiation, while the enantiomeric excess is partially preserved. Based on the results obtained, it is concluded that it is unsurprising to find amino acids even in enantiomeric excess in carbonaceous chondrites.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.