Supernovae and life

Rubenstein, Edward; Bonner, William A.; Noyes, H. Pierre; Brown, G. S.

doi:10.1038/306118a0

Cited by 118 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…One hypothesis offered for the origin of meteoritic amino acid ee was the possible differential (asymmetric) photolysis of amino acid enantiomers by UV circularly polarized light (CPL) in the presolar cloud (2,21). However, the proposal has been weakened by the inability so far to detect UV CPL, even from strong astronomical sources (22), and by models showing that UV irradiation would easily lead to destruction of both amino acid enantiomers before ee of the level found in meteorites were achieved (14,23).…”

Section: Enantiomeric Excesses In Diastereomer Amino Acids: a Case Formentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular asymmetry in extraterrestrial chemistry: Insights from a pristine meteorite

Pizzarello

Huang

Alexandre

2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

141

155

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The nonracemic amino acids of meteorites provide the only natural example of molecular asymmetry measured so far outside the biosphere. Because extant life depends on chiral homogeneity for the structure and function of biopolymers, the study of these meteoritic compounds may offer insights into the establishment of prebiotic attributes in chemical evolution as well as the origin of terrestrial homochirality. However, all efforts to understand the origin, distribution, and scope of these amino acids' enantiomeric excesses (ee) have been frustrated by the ready exposure of meteorites to terrestrial contaminants and the ubiquitous homochirality of such contamination. We have analyzed the soluble organic composition of a carbonaceous meteorite from Antarctica that was collected and stored under controlled conditions, largely escaped terrestrial contamination and offers an exceptionally pristine sample of prebiotic material. Analyses of the meteorite diastereomeric amino acids alloisoleucine and isoleucine allowed us to show that their likely precursor molecules, the aldehydes, also carried a sizable molecular asymmetry of up to 14% in the asteroidal parent body. Aldehydes are widespread and abundant interstellar molecules; that they came to be present, survived, and evolved in the solar system carrying ee gives support to the idea that biomolecular traits such as chiral asymmetry could have been seeded in abiotic chemistry ahead of life.carbonaceous chondrites ͉ chemical evolution ͉ chiral asymmetry ͉ diastereomer amino acids C arbonaceous chondrites (CC) are fragments of primitive asteroids that contain abiotic organic material and offer a unique record of the chemical evolution that came to precede terrestrial life in the solar system. These meteorites have a complex organic composition and contain structures as diverse as kerogen-like macromolecules and simpler soluble compounds ranging from polar amino acids and polyols to nonpolar hydrocarbons (1). Within this complex suite, some meteoritic compounds have identical counterparts in the biosphere; for example, eight of the protein amino acids as well as nicotinic and other carboxylic acids are indigenous to meteorites, as verified by their extraterrestrial isotopic signature. In addition, some chiral amino acids of CC display enantiomeric excesses (ee) that, although not as extensive, have the same configuration (L) as terrestrial amino acids (2, 3). To date, these nonracemic amino acids of meteorites provide the only example of molecular asymmetry measured outside the biosphere.Because extant life depends on chiral homogeneity for the structure and function of biopolymers, these findings imply the possibility that prebiotic properties became established in abiotic chemical evolution and aided in the origin of life (4, 5). In turn, however, they also raise new questions. What is the scope of chiral asymmetry in meteorites? Where did it originate? Did its delivery help in molecular evolution? All are difficult to answer, linked as they are to the uncertainties su...

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Section: Enantiomeric Excesses In Diastereomer Amino Acids: a Case Formentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular asymmetry in extraterrestrial chemistry: Insights from a pristine meteorite

Pizzarello

Huang

Alexandre

2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

141

155

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“…The exact process by which this amplification would occur is unknown, but some chemical reactions, like the Soai reaction [33] exhibit the property to enhance enantiomeric excess. Effect of UV circularly polarized light in space (gas phase or ices) has been suggested as an alternative way to induce excesses observed [34]. This hypothesis is being tested by laboratory experiments [35][36][37] but the source of the CPL at the vicinity of the early solar system still needs to be assessed.…”

Section: Diversity Of Organic Compounds In Meteoritesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organic material in meteorites and the link to the origin of life

Rémusat

2014

BIO Web of Conferences

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Abstract. Life requires specific conditions that have been, so far, only proven to meet on Earth. Though the chemical elements required to form living organism (C, H, N, O, S, etc) are widespread in the universe, the molecules that are crucial for Life, like nucleobases or amino acids, may not be so ubiquitous. The question of the formation of small and complex molecules is highly relevant to understand the process of Life origin. Carbonaceous chondrites are a class of meteorites rich in organic compounds and host potential precursors for the emergence of Life (organic matter and water). They could have been the source of complex molecules on the early Earth. This contribution will describe the main properties of the organic matter recovered from carbonaceous chondrites. However, the isotopic and molecular record of organic compounds is faded by secondary processes that occurred on the parent body of these meteorites. This results in complex signatures that raise multiple questions about the origin of organic compounds in the Solar System.

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“…Enantiomeric excesses have been detected in chondrites, in amino acids (Engel & Nagy 1982;Glavin et al 2009). These excesses have been suggested to result from UV circularly polarized light irradiation (Rubenstein et al 1983) or reactions involving chiral mineral surfaces (Glavin et al 2009). …”

Section: Soluble Organic Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organic material and gases in the early Solar System : the meteorite record

Rémusat

2012

EAS Publications Series

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Abstract. The most primitive chondrites and comets have undergone few modifications during the 4.56 billion years of the Solar System and can deliver to laboratories the components that witnessed the origin of the protosolar nebula. These components include organics, water and other volatile components that were formed in the parent molecular cloud of the solar system or during the protosolar epoch. This paper focuses on organic matter, water and noble gases contained in carbonaceous chondrites with a special emphasis on opened questions that could be assessed by laboratory experiments in order to shed new light on the origin of the solar system materials and planets.

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Supernovae and life

Cited by 118 publications

References 4 publications

Molecular asymmetry in extraterrestrial chemistry: Insights from a pristine meteorite

Molecular asymmetry in extraterrestrial chemistry: Insights from a pristine meteorite

Organic material in meteorites and the link to the origin of life

Organic material and gases in the early Solar System : the meteorite record

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