title: Acid-labile amino acid precursors in the Murchison meteorite. 1: Chromatographic fractionation.
abstract: The amino acid content of a hot water extract of the Murchison meteorite can be increased by over 100 per cent by subjecting the extract to acid hydrolysis. The acid-labile compounds in the extract that account for this increase were fractionated by column chromatography on a cation exchange resin. Seventy mole per cent behaved as neutral or acidic compounds and were eluted from the column with an initial water wash. The remaining 30 mole per cent (basic precursors) were retained on the column and were eluted with the free amino acids by aqueous NH4OH. The acid-labile amino acid precursors in the water eluate could be retained and further fractionated on an anion exchange column, indicating that they are acidic compounds.
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D000596:Amino Acids