Pyrolisis of phosphorylated molecules and survivability
limits during the atmospheric passage in Earth-like planets
Marcano V, Benitez P, Campins J, Matheus P, Cedeno C, Falcon N,
Palacios-Pru E
PLANETARY AND SPACE SCIENCE
52 (7): 613-621 JUN 2004
Abstract:
There is evidence that space energy Sources
could give place to the appearance of phosphorylated nucleosides
outside of Earth. These compounds may have been delivered mainly by
interplanetary dust particles due to the lower temperatures experienced
during atmospheric deceleration and impacts to the terrestrial surface.
In this report, we communicate the results of pyrolytic studies to
simulate atmospheric survivability of adenosine-5'-dipliosphates (ADP)
(and adenosinc-5'-monophosphate, adenosinc and adenine as degradation
products) at temperatures < 500degreesC and at various time
intervals. Our results revealed that phosphorylated and
nonphosphorylated nucleosides transported by IDPs having sizes of
10(-6)-10(-5) In Could resist temperatures up to 500degreesC generated
during atmospheric entry. However, atmospheric passage should not
exceed a time > 150 s due to the thermal lability of these
molecules. Because of the high half-life showed by ADP in the presence
of meteoritic powder, it is thought that extraterrestrial delivery of
very complex biomolecules is more suitable under such protected
conditions. These data indicate that the formation of a Fe2+- and/or
Ca2+- complex could increase the stability of the molecules in the
presence of meteoritic matter. Therefore, if the synthesis of
nucleosides, nucleotides or oligonucleotides Could take place in icy
bodies, then micron-sized dust could have contributed significantly to
the availability of phosphorylated nucleosides in the early Earth or in
extrasolar early Earth-like planets, and thereby could have allowed the
arising of an early biological activity. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All
rights reserved.
Author Keywords:
pyrolisis, interplanetary dust, organic delivery, atmospheric
survivability, phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated nucleosides
KeyWords Plus:
INTERPLANETARY
DUST PARTICLES, EARLY TERRESTRIAL PLANETS, PREBIOTIC SYNTHESIS,
ABIOGENIC SYNTHESIS, AQUEOUS-SOLUTION, CARBONACEOUS METEORITES,
CHEMICAL EVOLUTION, ORGANIC-MOLECULES, HIGH-TEMPERATURES, LIFE
Addresses:
Palacios-Pru E, Univ Los Andes, Ctr Electron Microscopy, Evolut Biol
& Chem Lab, POB 163, Merida 5101, Venezuela
Univ Los Andes, Ctr Electron Microscopy, Evolut Biol & Chem Lab,
Merida 5101, Venezuela
Univ Los Andes, Fac Sci, Crystallog Lab, Merida 5101, Venezuela
Univ Carabobo, Fac Sci & Technol, Dept Phys, Valencia, Spain
Publisher:
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE,
KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, ENGLAND
IDS Number:
817ZO
ISSN:
0032-0633