title: Organics in chimneys and water samples from deep-sea hydrothermal systems: implications for sub-vent biosphere.
abstract: Searching for life in extreme terrestrial environments can be a model of that for extraterrestrial life. Submarine hydrothermal system is one of promising sites for the frontier of life on the earth. Here seawater and vent chimnies were collected from deep-sea hydrothermal vents at Suiyo Seamount, Izu-bonin arc, Pacific Ocean as a part of Archaean Park Project. Pure seawater sample of 300 degrees C (purity>97%) could be collected. Dissolved and total hydrolyzable amino acids were determined by ion-exchange HPLC, and their enantiomeric ratio was measured by reversed-phase HPLC for the first time. Glycine and serine were two most abundant amino acids, followed by other proteinous amino acids such as alanine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Non-proteinous amino acids were detected as minor constituents. Most of the amino acids detected were of the L-form. Thus amino acids of abiotic origin were quite minor, and most of the amino acids detected were formed biologically. These results, together with analytical results of the vent chimney samples, suggest that there is active microbial activities near the hydrothermal systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Yokohama National University.
authors.forename: Tsukasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horiuchi
authors.forename: Kensei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marumo
authors.forename: Miwako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Jun-ichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Urabe
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids