title: Enantiomeric excess of amino acids in hydrothermal environments.
abstract: In a simulated hydrothermal environment allowing fluid circulation between hot and cold regions repeatedly, D- and L-alanine molecules were racemized differently depending upon the concentration of alanine, whether D or L, present in the solution. In particular, the relative population of L-alanine was slightly more enhanced compared to that of D-alanine when the concentration of alanine increased. Enantiomeric excess of L-alanine was also observed when metallic ions such as zinc were sufficiently present in the environments. Hydrothermal environments in the primitive ocean could have maintained the capacity of selectively retaining enantiomeric excess in favor of L-amino acids once the concentration of amino acids could reach a sufficiently high level.
authors: Department of BioEngineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka 940-2188, Japan.
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Nemoto
authors: Minako
authors: M
authors: Horie
authors: Ei-Ichi
authors: E
authors: Imai
authors: Hajime
authors: H
authors: Honda
authors: Kuniyuki
authors: K
authors: Hatori
authors: Koichiro
authors: K
authors: Matsuno
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000737:chemistry*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D006358:Hot Temperature; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000409:Alanine