NDLI: A Reassessment of Prebiotic Organic Synthesis in Neutral Planetary Atmospheres

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A Reassessment of Prebiotic Organic Synthesis in Neutral Planetary Atmospheres

Content Provider	World Health Organization (WHO)-Global Index Medicus
Author	Cleaves, H. James Chalmers, John H. Lazcano, Antonio Miller, Stanley L. Bada, Jeffrey L.
Description	Country affiliation: United States Author Affiliation: Cleaves HJ ( Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC, 20015, USA.)
Abstract	The action of an electric discharge on reduced gas mixtures such as $H_{2}O,$ $CH_{4}$ and $NH_{3}$ (or $N_{2})$ results in the production of several biologically important organic compounds including amino acids. However, it is now generally held that the early Earth’s atmosphere was likely not reducing, but was dominated by $N_{2}$ and $CO_{2}.$ The synthesis of organic compounds by the action of electric discharges on neutral gas mixtures has been shown to be much less efficient. We show here that contrary to previous reports, significant amounts of amino acids are produced from neutral gas mixtures. The low yields previously reported appear to be the outcome of oxidation of the organic compounds during hydrolytic workup by nitrite and nitrate produced in the reactions. The yield of amino acids is greatly increased when oxidation inhibitors, such as ferrous iron, are added prior to hydrolysis. Organic synthesis from neutral atmospheres may have depended on the oceanic availability of oxidation inhibitors as well as on the nature of the primitive atmosphere itself. The results reported here suggest that endogenous synthesis from neutral atmospheres may be more important than previously thought.
File Format	HTM / HTML
ISSN	01696149
Issue Number	2
Volume Number	38
e-ISSN	15730875
Journal	Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres
Language	English
Publisher	Springer
Publisher Date	2008-04-01
Publisher Place	Netherlands
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	Discipline Molecular Biology Discipline Biology Amino Acids Chemistry Ammonia Atmosphere Methane Water Carbon Dioxide Earth (planet) Nitrates Nitrites Nitrogen Oceans And Seas Oxidation-reduction Journal Article Research Support, Non-u.s. Gov't Research Support, U.s. Gov't, Non-p.h.s.
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Medicine Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Space and Planetary Science

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