| Abundant ammonia in primitive asteroids and the case for a possible exobiology. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 21368183 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Carbonaceous chondrites are asteroidal meteorites that contain abundant organic materials. Given that meteorites and comets have reached the Earth since it formed, it has been proposed that the exogenous influx from these bodies provided the organic inventories necessary for the emergence of life. The carbonaceous meteorites of the Renazzo-type family (CR) have recently revealed a composition that is particularly enriched in small soluble organic molecules, such as the amino acids glycine and alanine, which could support this possibility. We have now analyzed the insoluble and the largest organic component of the CR2 Grave Nunataks (GRA) 95229 meteorite and found it to be of more primitive composition than in other meteorites and to release abundant free ammonia upon hydrothermal treatment. The findings appear to trace CR2 meteorites' origin to cosmochemical regimes where ammonia was pervasive, and we speculate that their delivery to the early Earth could have fostered prebiotic molecular evolution. |
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Authors:
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Sandra Pizzarello; Lynda B Williams; Jennifer Lehman; Gregory P Holland; Jeffery L Yarger |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Date: 2011-02-28 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Volume: 108 ISSN: 1091-6490 ISO Abbreviation: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. Publication Date: 2011 Mar |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-03-16 Completed Date: 2011-05-16 Revised Date: 2012-04-26 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 7505876 Medline TA: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 4303-6 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA. pizzar@asu.edu |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Ammonia
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analysis* Chromatography, Gas Exobiology* Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Meteoroids Minor Planets* Solubility Solvents / chemistry Temperature Water / chemistry |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Solvents; 7664-41-7/Ammonia; 7732-18-5/Water |
| Comments/Corrections | |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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