Formation of extraterrestrial peptides and their derivatives

Krasnokutski, Serge A.; Jäger, Cornelia; Henning, Thomas; Geffroy, Claude; Remaury, Quentin B.; Poinot, Pauline

doi:10.1126/sciadv.adj7179

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 44 publications

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“…Amino acids were detected in carbonaceous meteorites of various types from C1 [ 23 , 24 , 25 ], through to C2 [ 26 , 27 , 28 ] and C3 [ 24 , 29 , 30 ]. Recently, glycine oligopeptides were synthesized from C, CO and NH 3 under simulated stellar conditions [ 31 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Zero to Hero: The Cyanide-Free Formation of Amino Acids and Amides from Acetylene, Ammonia and Carbon Monoxide in Aqueous Environments in a Simulated Hadean Scenario

Seitz,

Geisberger,

West

et al. 2024

Life

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Amino acids are one of the most important building blocks of life. During the biochemical process of translation, cells sequentially connect amino acids via amide bonds to synthesize proteins, using the genetic information in messenger RNA (mRNA) as a template. From a prebiotic perspective (i.e., without enzymatic catalysis), joining amino acids to peptides via amide bonds is difficult due to the highly endergonic nature of the condensation reaction. We show here that amides can be formed in reactions catalyzed by the transition metal sulfides from acetylene, carbon monoxide and ammonia under aqueous conditions. Some α- and β-amino acids were also formed under the same conditions, demonstrating an alternative cyanide-free path for the formation of amino acids in prebiotic environments. Experiments performed with stable isotope labeled precursors, like 15NH4Cl and 13C-acetylene, enabled the accurate mass spectroscopic identification of the products formed from the starting materials and their composition. Reactions catalyzed using the transition metal sulfides seem to offer a promising alternative pathway for the formation of amides and amino acids in prebiotic environments, bypassing the challenges posed by the highly endergonic condensation reaction. These findings shed light on the potential mechanisms by which the building blocks of life could have originated on early Earth.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Zero to Hero: The Cyanide-Free Formation of Amino Acids and Amides from Acetylene, Ammonia and Carbon Monoxide in Aqueous Environments in a Simulated Hadean Scenario

Seitz,

Geisberger,

West

et al. 2024

Life

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From Meteorite to Life's Building Blocks: A possible Electrochemical Pathway to Amino Acids and Peptide Bonds

Fernandez,

Yari,

Hesser

et al. 2024

Chemistry A European J

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This study explores the electrochemical properties of the carbonaceous Allende CV3 meteorite, focusing on its potential as a Fe‐based catalyst derived from Mackinawite iron sulfide for electrocatalytic reactions facilitating nitrogen (N2) fixation into ammonia. Through comprehensive analysis, we not only monitored the evolution of key compounds such as CN‐, sulfur/H2S, H2 and carbonyl compounds, but also identified potential reagent carriers, indicating significant implications for the Strecker synthesis of amino acids in space environments. Initial examination revealed the presence of polypeptides, notably sequences including trimer Gly3, pentamer Gly3‐Ala2, and hexamer Gly4‐(HO‐Gly)2. These discoveries greatly enhance our understanding of astrobiological chemistry, offering valuable insights into prebiotic processes and the potential presence of life‐building blocks throughout the universe.

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Infrared spectra of solid-state ethanolamine: Laboratory data in support of JWST observations

Suhasaria,

Wee,

Basalgète

et al. 2024

A&A

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Ethanolamine (NH$_2$CH$_2$CH$_2$OH; EA) has been identified in the gas phase of the interstellar medium within molecular clouds. Although EA has not been directly observed in the molecular ice phase, a solid-state formation mechanism has been proposed. However, the current literature lacks an estimation of the infrared band strengths of EA ices, which are crucial data for quantifying potential astronomical observations and laboratory findings related to their formation or destruction via energetic processing. We conducted an experimental investigation of solid EA ice at low temperatures to ascertain its infrared band strengths, phase transition temperature, and multilayer binding energy. Since the refractive index and the density of EA ice are unknown, the commonly used laser interferometry method was not applied. Infrared band strengths were determined using three distinct methods. In addition to evaluating EA band strengths, we also tested the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches used for this purpose. The obtained lab spectrum of EA was compared with the publicly available MIRI MRS James Webb Space Telescope observations towards a low-mass protostar. We used a combination of Fourier-transform transmission infrared spectroscopy and quadrupole mass spectrometry. The phase transition temperature for EA ice falls within the range of 175 to 185 K. Among the discussed methods, the simple pressure gauge method provides a reasonable estimate of band strength. We derived a band strength value of about $1 $ cm molecule$^ $ for the NH$_2$ bending mode in the EA molecules. Additionally, temperature-programmed desorption analysis yielded a multilayer desorption energy of 0.61pm 0.01 eV. By comparing the laboratory data documented in this study with the JWST spectrum of the low-mass protostar IRAS 2A, an upper-limit for the EA ice abundances was derived. This study addresses the lack of quantitative infrared measurements of EA at low temperatures, crucial for understanding EA's astronomical and laboratory presence and formation routes. Our approach presents a simple yet effective method for determining the infrared band strengths of molecules with a reasonable level of accuracy.

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Formation of extraterrestrial peptides and their derivatives

Cited by 3 publications

References 44 publications

From Zero to Hero: The Cyanide-Free Formation of Amino Acids and Amides from Acetylene, Ammonia and Carbon Monoxide in Aqueous Environments in a Simulated Hadean Scenario

From Zero to Hero: The Cyanide-Free Formation of Amino Acids and Amides from Acetylene, Ammonia and Carbon Monoxide in Aqueous Environments in a Simulated Hadean Scenario

From Meteorite to Life's Building Blocks: A possible Electrochemical Pathway to Amino Acids and Peptide Bonds

Infrared spectra of solid-state ethanolamine: Laboratory data in support of JWST observations

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