The
analysis of amino acids in meteorites dates back over 50 years; however,
it is only in recent years that research has expanded beyond investigations
of a narrow set of meteorite groups (exemplified by the Murchison
meteorite) into meteorites of other types and classes. These new studies
have shown a wide diversity in the abundance and distribution of amino
acids across carbonaceous chondrite groups, highlighting the role
of parent body processes and composition in the creation, preservation,
or alteration of amino acids. Although most chiral amino acids are
racemic in meteorites, the enantiomeric distribution of some amino
acids, particularly of the nonprotein amino acid isovaline, has also
been shown to vary both within certain meteorites and across carbonaceous
meteorite groups. Large l-enantiomeric excesses of some extraterrestrial
protein amino acids (up to ∼60%) have also been observed in
rare cases and point to nonbiological enantiomeric enrichment processes
prior to the emergence of life. In this Outlook, we review these recent
meteoritic analyses, focusing on variations in abundance, structural distributions, and enantiomeric distributions of amino acids and discussing possible
explanations for these observations and the potential for future work.