[PNAS] The evolutionary selection of thymine over uracil in DNA presents a paradox from a photostability perspective, since thymine is found to be more susceptible to photodamage from the intense […]
thymine
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Venus
Stability and Reactivity of Alternative Nucleobases in Concentrated Sulfuric Acid.
Recent findings demonstrate that concentrated sulfuric acid supports rich organic chemistry, including the stability of the canonical DNA bases adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Press Release
All DNA/RNA Nucleobases Are Found On Asteroid Ryugu
Samples from the asteroid Ryugu collected and returned to Earth by the Japanese Hayabusa 2 mission contain all five nitrogenous bases—adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil—that make up nucleic acids, […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Life’s Building Blocks Discovered In Samples From Asteroid Bennu
Japanese collaborators detected all five nucleobases — building blocks of DNA and RNA — in samples returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.