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Abiotic Synthesis of Substances Relative to the Origin of Life under the Oxidizing Atomosphere

Research Project

Project/Area Number 04453037
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research Field 分析・地球化学
Research InstitutionKYOTO UNIVERSITY

Principal Investigator

KIHARA Sorin  Institute for Chemical Research, Associate Professor Kyoto University, 化学研究所, 助教授 (60161543)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) SOHRIN Yoshiki  Institute for Chemical Research, Instructor Kyoto University, 化学研究所, 助手 (50197000)
MATSUI Masakazu  Institute for Chemical Research, Professor Kyoto University, 化学研究所, 教授 (90027037)
Project Period (FY) 1992 – 1993
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1993)
Budget Amount *help
¥6,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,500,000)
Fiscal Year 1993: ¥2,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,800,000)
Fiscal Year 1992: ¥3,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000)
KeywordsOxidizing Atomosphere / Carbon Dioxide / Ammonia / Aqueous Solution / UV-irradiation / Nucleic Acid Bases / Amino Acids / Magnesium ion / 酸化的雰囲気 / 炭酸ガス / 光合成 / 合成条件 / 共存塩
Research Abstract

One of the objects of the investigation of "origin of life" is the estimation of the atomosphere of the primitive earth where living organisms were born. In the present work, it has been demonstrated that amino acids and nucleic acid bases can be synthesized from anaqueous solution containing both of CO_2 and NH_3 or ammonium carbonate by the irradiation of UV-light of wave length shorter than 280 nm at a temperature higher than 80゚C.This finding suggests that the abiotic synthesis of substances relative to the origin of life can be attained notonly under the reducing atomosphere composed of CH_4 and H_2 but also under the oxidizing atomosphere composed of CO_2 and O_2. Since the synthesis was found to be promoted remarkably by the addition of Mg^<2+> into the aqueous solution, the view can be drawn that the life was originated in the sea water, the aqueous salt solution. High concentrations of ammonuim oxalate and oxamic acid were found in the UV-irradiated solution, and hence these compounds were considered to be the possible intermediates in the photosynthesis. On the basis of the detailed investigation on the relation between the synthetic conditions and the yields of amino acids or nucleic acid bases and the effect of the coexistence of Mg^<2+> or the intermediates, the mechanism for the photosyntesis was elucidated as follows ; (1) The UV-irradiation of the aqueous ammonium carbonate solution produces ammonium oxalate. (2) Ammonium oxalate thus produced decomposes thermally resulting oxamic acid. Here, because of the strong complex formation between Mg^<2+> and oxamic acid, coexistence of Mg^<2+> promotes the thermal decomposition to oxamic acid and depresses the further decomposition of oxamic acid. (3) Oxamic acidproduces amino acids and nucleic acid bases absorbing UV-light of wave length shorter than 280 nm. (4) Relatives of saccharides might be synthesized from the intermediates such as oxalic

Report

(3 results)
  • 1993 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1992 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (7 results)

All Other

All Publications (7 results)

  • [Publications] 木原壯林: "酸化的雰囲気での生命起源物質の無機的合成" 海洋化学研究. 7 (印刷中).

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] K.Ogura: "Ion Transfer at the Interface between an Aqueous Solution in the Presence of Concentrated Salts and an Organic Solution Studied by Polarography at the Electrolyte Solution Dropping Electrode" J.Electroanal.Chem.352. 131-151 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] S.Kihara et. al.: "Abiotic synthesis of substances relative to the origin of life under the oxidizing atomosphere." Transactions of The Research Institute of Oceanochemistry.7, (in press). (1994)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] K.Ogura et. al.: "Ion transfer at the interface between aqueous in the presence of concentrated salts and organic studied by polarography at the electrolyte solution dropping electrode." J.Electroanal.Chem.352. 131 (1993)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1993 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 木原壯林: "酸化的雰囲気での生命起源物質の無機的合成" 海洋化学研究. 7(印刷中).

    • Related Report
      1993 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] K.Ogura: "Ion Transfer at the Interface between an Aqueous Solution in the Presence of Concentrated Salts and an Organic Solution Studied by Polarography at the Electrolyte Solution Dropping Electrode" J.Electroanal.Chem.,. 352. 131-151 (1993)

    • Related Report
      1993 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] K.Ogura: "Ion Transfer at the Interface between Aqueous in the Presence of Concentrated Salts and Organic Studied by Polarography at the Electrolyte Solution Dropping Electrode." J.Electroanal.Chem.(1993)

    • Related Report
      1992 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1992-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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