R. Graham Cooks, the Henry B. Hass Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, and his postdoctoral researcher Lingqi Qiu have experimental evidence that the key step in protein formation can occur in […]
Metabolism
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Shedding Light On The Synthesis Of Sugars Before The Origin Of Life
Pentoses are essential carbohydrates in the metabolism of modern lifeforms, but their availability during early Earth is unclear since these molecules are unstable.
![Simulated nicotinic acid abundances compared to measured values in carbonaceous chondrites and asteroid (162173) Ryugu. A rock density of 3 g cm−3 , a porosity of 0.2, [56–58] and an ice density of 0.917 g cm−3 completely filling the pores (after all radionuclides have decayed and aqueous activity has ceased) were assumed as the properties of the planetesimal/carbonaceous chondrite hosting the chemical synthesis. The simulations were run at a pressure of 100 bar. From left to right, the plotted bars show the simulated molecular abundance of nicotinic acid (solid black line on the very left) for the whole temperature range of liquid water, as well as the abundances measured in samples of Cb asteroid (162173) Ryugu collected during the Hayabusa2 spacecraft mission, [14] in the CI chondrite Orgeil, [14] several Antarctic CM2 chondrites, [12] the CM2 chondrites Murchison and Murray, and the ungrouped C2 chondrite Tagish Lake [13] as lines and shaded ranges described in the legend. Each time, the measured nicotinic acid abundance and the sum of all isomers (nicotinic acid, isonicotinic acid, picolinic acid) are given, since thermochemical equilibrium simulations cannot distinguish between isomers. The type of extraction method used (hot water, cold water ultrasonication, HCl-hydrolyzed, formic acid) is denoted next to each panel. A tabulated version of the data presented here is available in the Supporting Information in Table S1. -- astro-ph.EP](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/prebiotic.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Comets and Asteroids, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Meteorites & Asteroids, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Prebiotic Vitamin B3 Synthesis In Carbonaceous Planetesimals
Aqueous chemistry within carbonaceous planetesimals is promising for synthesizing prebiotic organic matter essential to all life.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
New Recipes For The Origin Of Life May Point The Way To Distant, Inhabited Planets
Life requires repetition of chemical reactions. Describing the kinds of reactions and conditions required for self-sustaining repetition — called autocatalysis — could focus the search for life on other planets.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Press Release
Electricity Driving Life
When nature performs chemical reactions to create energy-rich compounds from simple molecules, it requires energy. So far, it has not been possible to use man-made electricity to drive these biochemical […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Press Release
Astrobiology Review: A Review on Hypothesized Metabolic Pathways on Europa and Enceladus: Space-Flight Detection Considerations
Enceladus and Europa, icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter, respectively, are believed to be habitable with liquid water oceans and therefore are of interest for future life detection missions and […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
How a Methanogen Creates Its Own Sulfate Reduction Machinery
Sulfur is a fundamental element of life and all organisms need it to synthesize cellular materials. Autotrophs, such as plants and algae, acquire sulfur by converting sulfate into sulfide, which […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Prebiotic Synthesis of Aspartate Using Life’s Metabolism as a Guide
A protometabolic approach to the origins of life assumes that the conserved biochemistry of metabolism has direct continuity with prebiotic chemistry. One of the most important amino acids in modern […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Early Earth Life: Oxidative Phosphorus Chemistry Perturbed By Minerals
Life is a complex, open chemical system that must be supported with energy inputs. If one fathoms how simple early life must have been, the complexity of modern-day life is […]