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Amino acids in the Yamato carbonaceous chrondrite from AntarcticaEvidence for the presence of amino acids of extraterrestrial origin in the Antarctic Yamato carbonaceous chrondrite is presented. Hydrolyzed and nonhydrolyzed water-extracted amino acid samples from exterior, middle and interior portions of the meteorite were analyzed by an amino acid analyzer and by gas chromatography of N-TFA-isopropyl amino acid derivatives. Nine protein and six nonprotein amino acids were detected in the meteorite at abundances between 34 and less than one nmole/g, with equal amounts in interior and exterior portions. Nearly equal abundances of the D and L enantiomers of alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid were found, indicating the abiotic, therefore extraterrestrial, origin of the amino acids. The Antarctic environment and the uniformity of protein amino acid abundances are discussed as evidence against the racemization of terrestrially acquired amino acids, and similarities between Yamato amino acid compositions and the amino acid compositions of the Murchison and Murray type II carbonaceous chrondrites are indicated.
Document ID
19800029378
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Shimoyama, A.
(Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Ponnamperuma, C.
(Maryland, University College Park, Md., United States)
Yanai, K.
(National Institute of Polar Research Tokyo, Japan)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
November 22, 1979
Publication Information
Publication: Nature
Volume: 282
Subject Category
Space Biology
Accession Number
80A13548
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-21-002-317
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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