Aminoacetonitrile (AAN), also known as glycinenitrile, has been suggested as a possible precursor of glycine and adenine in the interstellar medium. Here we present the chemical modeling of AAN and […]
protein
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Status Report
Amino Acid Analogues Provide Multiple Plausible Pathways To Prebiotic Peptides
Prebiotic peptide synthesis has consistently been a prominent topic within the field of the origin of life.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
On The Correlation Between the Enantiomeric Excess of L-isovaline and the Level of Aqueous Alteration in Carbonaceous Meteorites
A positive correlation was observed between the enantiomeric excess (ee) of L-isovaline (L-iVal) and the degree of aqueous alteration (AqA) of carbonaceous meteorites. The origin of this remarkable phenomenon has […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report
Genetic Encoding and Expression of RNA Origami Cytoskeletons in Synthetic Cells
The central dogma at the core of molecular biology states that information flows from DNA to RNA and then to protein. Our research seeks to introduce a conceptually novel approach […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report
RNA-Catalyzed Evolution
NASA-supported researchers have used a laboratory technique called directed evolution to create an RNA enzyme that is capable of carrying out RNA polymerase activity. In living cells, protein polymerases catalyze […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Observation Of Complex Organic Molecules Containing Peptide-like Bonds Towards Hot Core G358.93−0.03 MM1
In the star formation regions, the complex organic molecules that contain peptide bonds (−NH−C(=O)−) play a major role in the metabolic process because −NH−C(=O)− is connected to amino acids (R-CHNH2−COOH).
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Light Enables The Generation Of Non-canonical Amino Acids
UC Santa Barbara researchers are building out the repertoire of chemical reactions, using light. In a paper published in the journal Nature, chemistry professor Yang Yang and collaborators at the […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Formation Of Extraterrestrial Peptides And Their Derivative
The formation of protein precursors, due to the condensation of atomic carbon under the low-temperature conditions of the molecular phases of the interstellar medium, opens alternative pathways for the origin […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Identifying The Last Universal Common Ancestor’s Protein Domains Resolves The Order In Which The Amino Acids Were Recruited Into The Genetic Code
We identified protein domains that emerged early in the history of life. Protein domains whose ancestors date back to a single homolog in the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) remain […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Left-handed Isovaline and Life on Earth
NASA scientists analyzing the dust of meteorites have discovered new clues to a long-standing mystery about how life works on its most basic, molecular level. “We found more support for […]