Annie LeUniversity of California, Merced

The Existence of Amino Acids in Carbonaceous Chondrites

The galaxy is much more complex.CM2 Meteorites carrymillions of types of organic compounds. Identification of 92 amino Acids (1,3,5) only 18 amino acids carry Similar structures in biologicalProteins (1,3,5).

What has been Discovered?

Difficult to believeThe abundance of organic compounds could be the cause of…

- terrestrial contamination- a chemical evolution- possible extraterrestrial material that contains “living” properties (1,3,5).

Most believed to be the cause of an exposure or contamination (1,3,4,5).

Arguments

Early Earth was crucial to the creation of life (6).

- CM2 could not have been a returning meteorite from Earth’s Past (1,3).

- more to study of CM2 unknownorganic components: non-protein amino acids

(1,3,4,5). - assumed to be an extraterrestrial material (1,3).

Possible Clarifications

Small sample of CM2 (crushed-powdered)Acid hydrolysis (1,2,3,4,5,6)Ion exchange column (1,3,5)Perkin – Elmer 900 (top):Gas Chromatography with pyrolysis (1,2,3,4,5,6)*pyrolysis: 430°C -1000°C (2,4)Perkin-Elmer 850 (bottom): Mass

spectrometer (5,6)

Methods

Amino acids found: Alanine, Glycine, Valine, Proline, Leucine, Isoleucine, Aspartic acid and Glutamic acid (1,2,3,4,5). Results supported past

research studies. - Chiral: Small excess ofleft hand amino acids (1,3,5).

No RNA or DNA found yet (1,2,4).Identification of several complex compounds: carboxylic

acids, hydroxyl carboxylic acids, aromatics (1,5,6)…

Discussion/Results: Amino Acid Analysis

Table 1: Cronin and Pizzarello identifies amino acids (1,2,3,5).

A journey in understandingthe complexity of space (1,3).The relationship between us.Possible life existing somewhere in outer space (6).

Further Research…

Questions/Comments?

[1] Cronin, J.R.; Pizzarello, S. Amino acids in Meteorites. Advances in Space Research. 1983. 3:5-18.

[2] Lawless, J.G., Amino Acids in the Murchison Meteorite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 1973. 37: 2207-2212.

[3] Cronin, J.R., Pizzarello, S, et. al. Amino Acids of the Murchison Meteorite: II. Five Acyclic Primary β-, ϒ- and σ-Amino Alkanoic Acids. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 1985. 49: 2259-2265.

[4] Levy, R.L., Grayson, M.A., et. Al. The Organic Analysis of the Murchison Meteorite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 1973. 37:467-483.

[5] Pizzarello, S., Cronin, J.R. Non-racemic Amino Acids in the Murray and Murchison Meteorites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 2000. 64: 329-338.

[6] Glavin, D.P., Matrajt, G., Bada, J.L. Re-examination of amino acids in Antarctic micrometeorites. Advances in Space Research. 2004. 33: 106-113.

References