Martins, Zita; Botta, Oliver; Fogel, Marilyn L.; Sephton, Mark A.; Glavin, Daniel P.; Watson, Jonathan S.; Dworkin, Jason P.; Schwartz, Alan W. and Ehrenfreund, Pascale
(2008).
| DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Link: | http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.03.026 |
|---|---|
| Google Scholar: | Look up in Google Scholar |
Abstract
Carbon-rich meteorites, carbonaceous chondrites, contain many biologically relevant organic molecules and delivered prebiotic material to the young Earth. We present compound-specific carbon isotope data indicating that measured purine and pyrimidine compounds are indigenous components of the Murchison meteorite. Carbon isotope ratios for uracil and xanthine of δ13C=+44.5‰ and +37.7‰, respectively, indicate a non-terrestrial origin for these compounds. These new results demonstrate that organic compounds, which are components of the genetic code in modern biochemistry, were already present in the early solar system and may have played a key role in life's origin.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0012-821X |
| Keywords: | nucleobases; Murchison; meteorite; carbon isotope; origin of life; extraterrestrial organic molecules |
| Academic Unit/Department: | Science > Environment, Earth and Ecosystems Science > Physical Sciences |
| Interdisciplinary Research Centre: | Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR) |
| Item ID: | 10726 |
| Depositing User: | Jonathan Watson |
| Date Deposited: | 21 May 2008 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Dec 2010 20:08 |
| URI: | http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/10726 |
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