title: Abiotic synthesis of amino acids and self-crystallization under prebiotic conditions.
abstract: Building on previous research on the origin and homochirality of life, this study focuses on analyses profiling important building blocks of life: the natural amino acids. The spark discharge variation of the iconic Miller experiment was performed with a reducing gas mixture of ammonia, methane, water and hydrogen. Amino acid analysis using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry after pre-column derivatizaiton revealed the generation of several amino acids including those essential for life. Re-crystallization of the synthetic products and enantiomeric ratio analysis were subsequently performed. Results from liquid chromatography coupled with either fluorescent detector or tandem mass spectrometry after pre-column derivatization with chiral reagent revealed spontaneous and effective asymmetric resolution of serine and alanine. This work describes a useful analytical platform for investigation of hypotheses regarding the origin and homochirality of amino acids under prebiotic conditions. The formation of numerous amino acids in the electric discharge experiment and the occurrence of high enantiomeric ratios of amino acids in re-crystallization experiment give valuable implications for future studies in unraveling fundamental questions regarding origins and evolution of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dziedzic
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden [2] Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1700, USA.
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Spacil
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gui-Ling
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Leopold L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ilag
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden [2] Department of Natural Science, Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, SE-851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Córdova
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003460:Crystallization; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids