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Distribution and enantiomeric composition of amino acids in the Murchison meteoriteStudies of the amino acid contents and enantiomeric compositions of a single stone from the Murchison meteorite are reported. Water-extracted and 6M HCl-extracted samples from the meteorite interior of meteorite fragments were analyzed by gas chromatography and combined gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Examination of the D/L ratios of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, proline, leucine and alanine reveals those amino acids extractable by water to be partially racemized, whereas the acid-extracted amino acids were less racemized. The amino acid composition of the stone is similar to those previously reported, including the absence of serine, threonine, tyrosine phenylalanine and methionine and the presence of unusual amino acids including such as isovaline, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and pseudoleucine. It is concluded that the most likely mechanism accounting for the occurrence of nonracemic amino acid mixtures in the Murchison meteorite is by extraterrestrial stereoselective synthesis or decomposition reactions.
Document ID
19820048675
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Engel, M. H.
(Arizona Univ. Tucson, AZ, United States)
Nagy, B.
(Arizona, University Tucson, AZ, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
April 29, 1982
Publication Information
Publication: Nature
Volume: 296
Subject Category
Space Biology
Accession Number
82A32210
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-03-002-171
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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