Extraterrestrial amino acids in the Almahata Sitta meteorite

Glavin, Daniel P.; Aubrey, A. D.; Callahan, Michael P.; Dworkin, Jason P.; Elsila, Jamie E.; Parker, Eric T.; Bada, Jeffrey L.; Jenniskens, Peter; Shaddad, Muawia H.

doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01094.x

Cited by 56 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 61 publications

(149 reference statements)

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“…4). We suggest that this peak corresponds to tyrosine, an aromatic amino acid with mass 181, based on the observation of many amino acids in the chromatographic analysis of Almahata Sitta extracts (Glavin et al. 2010).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asteroid 2008 TC₃: Dispersion of organic compounds inside asteroids

Sabbah

Morrow

Jenniskens

et al. 2010

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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Abstract-Ureilites are carbon-bearing ultramafic rocks characterized by partial melt depletion and a violent disruption resulting in graphitic carbon and diamonds. Among the predominantly polymict ureilite meteorites collected from the impact of asteroid 2008 TC 3 on October 7, 2008-the first time an asteroid was spotted in space and subsequently recovered in the form of meteorites-were many fresh-looking chondrites. Four were classified as EH6 (#16), H5 (sample #25), EL6 (#41), and L4 (#A100) chondrites. All are called ''Almahata Sitta,'' named after the nearby inhabited outpost of Station 6. Six hundred meteorites were collected, which show a wide range of densities, textures, reflection properties, and elemental compositions. In this study, we employ laser desorption laser ionization mass spectrometry to analyze the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contents of six meteorites from 2008 TC 3 that are ureilites (sample #1, #4, #7, #15, #27, and #47) and three anomalous fragments (sample #25, #16, and #41). Numerous organic compounds were detected with a PAH signature that has not been observed in the carbonaceous chondrites previously studied by our experimental apparatus. Specifically, the Almahata Sitta spectra lack the diversity of alkylation series of parent PAHs commonly observed in Murchison and other carbonaceous chondrites. Spatial mappings of aromatic species across the surface of a fragment of sample #4 are presented including detection of what appears to be the aromatic amino acid tyrosine. Potential sources of terrestrial organic contamination are discussed and ruled out as a source of our observations. Meteorites #25 and #16 are found to have the same distribution of PAHs as the Almahata Sitta meteorites. Other chondrites have much different organic fingerprints. We conclude that both an H5 and E chondrite were included in asteroid 2008 TC 3 as foreign clasts and that organic compounds contained in ureilites can spread into other parts of an asteroid.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asteroid 2008 TC₃: Dispersion of organic compounds inside asteroids

Sabbah

Morrow

Jenniskens

et al. 2010

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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“…We have found through monitoring standards that OPA/NAC amino acid derivatives are stable for up to 1 week at −86 °C without significant degradation. Each derivatized sample was analyzed using our standard tandem LC column conditions for initial two‐ to ten‐carbon (C 2 –C 10 ) amino acid separation and characterization (Glavin et al. 2010).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of parent body processes on amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites

Glavin¹,

Callahan

Dworkin

et al. 2010

Meteoritics &Amp; Planetary Science

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445

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Abstract-To investigate the effect of parent body processes on the abundance, distribution, and enantiomeric composition of amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites, the water extracts from nine different powdered CI, CM, and CR carbonaceous chondrites were analyzed for amino acids by ultra performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-FD ⁄ ToF-MS). Four aqueously altered type 1 carbonaceous chondrites including Orgueil (CI1), Meteorite Hills (MET) 01070 (CM1), Scott Glacier (SCO) 06043 (CM1), and Grosvenor Mountains (GRO) 95577 (CR1) were analyzed using this technique for the first time. Analyses of these meteorites revealed low levels of two-to five-carbon acyclic amino alkanoic acids with concentrations ranging from approximately 1 to 2,700 parts-per-billion (ppb). The type 1 carbonaceous chondrites have a distinct distribution of the five-carbon (C 5 ) amino acids with much higher relative abundances of the c-and d-amino acids compared to the type 2 and type 3 carbonaceous chondrites, which are dominated by a-amino acids. Much higher amino acid abundances were found in the CM2 chondrites Murchison, Lonewolf Nunataks (LON) 94102, and Lewis Cliffs (LEW) 90500, the CR2 Elephant Moraine (EET) 92042, and the CR3 Queen Alexandra Range (QUE) 99177. For example, a-aminoisobutyric acid (a-AIB) and isovaline were approximately 100 to 1000 times more abundant in the type 2 and 3 chondrites compared to the more aqueously altered type 1 chondrites. Most of the chiral amino acids identified in these meteorites were racemic, indicating an extraterrestrial abiotic origin. However, nonracemic isovaline was observed in the aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrites Murchison, Orgueil, SCO 06043, and GRO 95577 with l-isovaline excesses ranging from approximately 11 to 19%, whereas the most pristine, unaltered carbonaceous chondrites analyzed in this study had no detectable l-isovaline excesses. These results are consistent with the theory that aqueous alteration played an important role in amplification of small initial left handed isovaline excesses on the parent bodies.

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“…10 Furthermore, glycine (the simplest amino acid) has been conclusively detected in the material ejected from comets. 11,12 Thus, the resistance of amino acids-water ice systems to the energetic radiation through their transfer from space to Earth is a fundamental question for the origin and the early evolution of life on our planet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synchrotron x-ray photoemission study of soft x-ray processed ultrathin glycine-water ice films

Tzvetkov

Netzer

2011

The Journal of Chemical Physics

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Ultrathin glycine-water ice films have been prepared in ultrahigh vacuum by condensation of H(2)O and glycine at 90 K on single crystalline alumina surfaces and processed by soft x-ray (610 eV) exposure for up to 60 min. The physicochemical changes in the films were monitored using synchrotron x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Two films with different amounts of H(2)O have been considered in order to evaluate the influence of the water ice content on the radiation-induced effects. The analysis of C1s, N1s, and O1s spectral regions together with the changes in the valence band spectra indicates that amino acid degradation occurs fast mainly via decarboxylation and deamination of pristine molecules. Enrichment of the x-ray exposed surfaces with fragments with carbon atoms without strong electronegative substituents (C-C and C-H) is documented as well. In the thinner glycine-water ice film (six layers of glycine + six layers of water) the 3D ice suffers strongly from the x-rays and is largely removed from the sample. The rate of photodecomposition of glycine in this film is about 30% higher than for glycine in the thicker film (6 layers of glycine + 60 layers of water). The photoemission results suggest that the destruction of amino acid molecules is caused by the direct interaction with the radiation and that no chemical attack of glycine by the species released by water radiolysis is detected.

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Extraterrestrial amino acids in the Almahata Sitta meteorite

Cited by 56 publications

References 61 publications

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asteroid 2008 TC₃: Dispersion of organic compounds inside asteroids

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asteroid 2008 TC₃: Dispersion of organic compounds inside asteroids

The effects of parent body processes on amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites

Synchrotron x-ray photoemission study of soft x-ray processed ultrathin glycine-water ice films

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Extraterrestrial amino acids in the Almahata Sitta meteorite

Cited by 56 publications

References 61 publications

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asteroid 2008 TC3: Dispersion of organic compounds inside asteroids

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asteroid 2008 TC3: Dispersion of organic compounds inside asteroids

The effects of parent body processes on amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites

Synchrotron x-ray photoemission study of soft x-ray processed ultrathin glycine-water ice films

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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asteroid 2008 TC₃: Dispersion of organic compounds inside asteroids

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asteroid 2008 TC₃: Dispersion of organic compounds inside asteroids