NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Criteria for distinguishing biogenic and abiogenic amino acids - Preliminary considerations.Criteria to determine the mode of origin of amino acids can be established by consideration of their structure, enantiometric distribution, composition, and relative abundance. A population of dominantly protein amino acids with one enantiomeric configuration most likely had a biological origin. Biological amino acids do racemize, however, so the absence of optical activity would not rule out the possibility that the amino acids in a racemic mixture were originally synthesized biologically. For racemic amino acids, therefore, structure, composition and relative abundance become important in ascertaining the origin of these compounds. Abiotically synthesized amino acids have a population composed of both protein and nonprotein structures present as racemic mixtures.
Document ID
19730041678
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Kvenvolden, K. A.
(NASA Ames Research Center Planetary Biology Div., Moffett Field, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 7, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1973
Subject Category
Biosciences
Accession Number
73A26480
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available