Adsorption of amino acids and nucleic acid bases onto minerals: a few suggestions for prebiotic chemistry experiments

Abstract

Amino acids and nucleic acid bases are very important for the living organisms. Thus, their protection from decomposition, selection, pre-concentration and formation of biopolymers are important issues for understanding the origin of life on the Earth. Minerals could have played all of these roles. This paper discusses several aspects involving the adsorption of amino acids and nucleic acid bases onto minerals under conditions that could have been found on the prebiotic Earth; in particular, we recommend the use of minerals, amino acids, nucleic acid bases and seawater ions in prebiotic chemistry experiments. Several experiments involving amino acids, nucleic acid bases, minerals and seawater ions are also suggested, including: (a) using well-characterized minerals and the standardization of the mineral synthesis methods; (b) using primary chondrite minerals (olivine, pyroxene, etc.) and clays modified with metals (Cu, Fe, Ni, Mo, Zn, etc.); (c) determination of the possible products of decomposition due to interactions of amino acids and nucleic acid bases with minerals; (d) using minerals with more organophilic characteristics; (e) using seawaters with different concentrations of ions (i.e. Na + , Ca 2 + , Mg 2 + , SO 4 2 − and Cl − ); (f) using non-protein amino acids (AIB, α-ABA, β-ABA, γ-ABA and β-Ala and g) using nucleic acid bases other than adenine, thymine, uracil and cytosine. These experiments could be useful to clarify the role played by minerals in the origin of life on the Earth.

Affinity of Metal Ions Incorporated Bentonite for Enantiomeric Interactions with Alanine

“…Today, there are ~4500 known, naturally occurring minerals and each year ~50 new unknown minerals are discovered [9,10].…”

“…As life is supposed to be started on before 3.6 Ga., so, minerals only synthesized before this period are to be considered [10].…”

“…Metal ions exchanged SMT are reported as good surfactants which justify their role in the adsorption studies of AAs NBs PGS etc. and also as a catalyst for biomolecular formation [3, [10][11]21].…”

Interaction of forsterite-91 with distilled water and artificial seawater: a prebiotic chemistry experiment

“…Olivine formed under high temperature is rich in Fe(II) and Mg, and has very a high dissolution rate compared with other primary minerals. It should also be pointed out that there are few studies on prebiotic chemistry using olivine (Zaia 2012). Therefore, the interaction of these primary minerals with the environment of the primitive Earth (atmosphere, light and water) is an important issue for prebiotic chemistry.…”

“…It should be noted that hydrothermal environments are still present on Earth today and were probably more common on prebiotic Earth (Martin et al 2008). The composition of salts and their concentration in the seawater of the prebiotic Earth are controversial issues (Zaia 2012); thus, the artificial seawater used for this study contained all major elements. The composition of salts and their concentration in the seawater of the prebiotic Earth are controversial issues (Zaia 2012); thus, the artificial seawater used for this study contained all major elements.…”