Publication Type Journal Article
Title Extraterrestrial nucleobases in the Murchison meteorite
Authors Zita Martins Oliver Botta Marilyn L. Fogel M. A. Sephton Daniel P. Glavin J. S. Watson Jason P. Dworkin Alan W. Schwartz Pascale Ehrenfreund
Groups
Journal EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
Year 2008
Month June
Volume 270
Number 1
Pages 130-136
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 delta C-13 = +44.5 parts per thousand and +37.7 parts per thousand, 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. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2008.03.026
ISBN
Publisher
Book Title
ISSN 0012-821X
EISSN
Conference Name
Bibtex ID ISI:000257294500013
Observations
Back to Publications List