研究課題/領域番号 |
22K18737
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研究種目 |
挑戦的研究(萌芽)
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配分区分 | 基金 |
審査区分 |
中区分17:地球惑星科学およびその関連分野
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研究機関 | 九州大学 |
研究代表者 |
エダラテイ カベー 九州大学, カーボンニュートラル・エネルギー国際研究所, 准教授 (60709608)
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研究期間 (年度) |
2022-06-30 – 2025-03-31
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研究課題ステータス |
交付 (2022年度)
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配分額 *注記 |
6,500千円 (直接経費: 5,000千円、間接経費: 1,500千円)
2024年度: 2,080千円 (直接経費: 1,600千円、間接経費: 480千円)
2023年度: 2,210千円 (直接経費: 1,700千円、間接経費: 510千円)
2022年度: 2,210千円 (直接経費: 1,700千円、間接経費: 510千円)
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キーワード | Origin of Life / High-Pressure Torsion / Protein / Amino Acids / RNA |
研究開始時の研究の概要 |
This project challenges to shed light on the origin of life by mechanical production of protein and RNA as two essential biomolecules. Since such a mechanical production could possibly happen by meteoroid/asteroid/comet collision in the early earth conditions, the collisions are simulated by high-pressure torsion (HPT) under high pressure, high strain and high temperature. The project focuses on the processing of amino acids and adenosine monophosphate which are the building blocks of RNA and protein.
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研究実績の概要 |
The high-pressure torsion method was applied to three amino acids (glycine, glutamic acid, and serine). All these amino acids were already detected in different meteorites. At the first step of the experiments, only pure forms of these amino acids were selected. The materials after processing by high-pressure torsion were examined by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance to find a piece of evidence for their polymerization. The most important finding was the formation of ethanol from glycine, while the crystal structures of three selected amino acids were significantly destroyed. The experiments were also conducted under different temperatures (300 K and 423 K) and pressures (1, 2 and 6 GPa) and it was found that enhancement of pressure and temperature can accelerate the structural changes. Although no evidence for the polymerization of amino acids and the formation of protein was achieved in the first step of experiments, these experiments confirmed that some additives which were present in the early Earth conditions should be mixed with the materials to examine the formation of polymers. Moreover, the amino acids were examined n dry conditions, but water is an important additive that needs to be considered in coming experiments.
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現在までの達成度 (区分) |
現在までの達成度 (区分)
1: 当初の計画以上に進展している
理由
The plan was to apply the high-pressure torsion to glycine in FY2022, but we could apply the method to three amino acids and we also clarified the effect of pressure and temperature.
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今後の研究の推進方策 |
We are planning to apply the high-pressure torsion method to adenosine monophosphate, a monomer for the formation of RNA. We will examine if polymerization can occur under different pressures and temperatures. Moreover, we are planning to add water to the material to simulate a more realistic condition. Other additives like phosphoric acid and minerals will be added to the material to simulate the impact conditions by small solar system bodies such as comets, meteoroids, transitional objects, and so on. The materials will be examined by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance.
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