Prebiotic synthesis of hydrophobic and protein amino acids

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Mar;69(3):765-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.3.765.

Abstract

The formation of amino acids by the action of electric discharges on a mixture of methane, nitrogen, and water with traces of ammonia was studied in detail. The presence of glycine, alanine, alpha-amino-n-butyric acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, valine, norvaline, isovaline, leucine, isoleucine, alloisoleucine, norleucine, proline, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, threonine, allothreonine, alpha-hydroxy-gamma-aminobutyric acid, and alpha,gamma-diaminobutyric acid was confirmed by ion-exchange chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. All of the primary alpha-amino acids found in the Murchison Meteorite have been synthesized by this electric discharge experiment.

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / chemical synthesis
  • Amino Acids / analysis
  • Amino Acids / chemical synthesis*
  • Aminobutyrates / chemical synthesis
  • Aminoisobutyric Acids / chemical synthesis
  • Ammonia
  • Aspartic Acid / chemical synthesis
  • Autoanalysis
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Glutamates / chemical synthesis
  • Glycine / chemical synthesis
  • Isoleucine / chemical synthesis
  • Leucine / chemical synthesis
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Methane
  • Nitrogen
  • Proline / chemical synthesis
  • Serine / chemical synthesis
  • Threonine / chemical synthesis
  • Valine / chemical synthesis
  • Water

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Aminobutyrates
  • Aminoisobutyric Acids
  • Glutamates
  • Isoleucine
  • Water
  • Threonine
  • Aspartic Acid
  • Serine
  • Ammonia
  • Proline
  • Leucine
  • Valine
  • Nitrogen
  • Alanine
  • Methane
  • Glycine