Nitrogen Bases in DNA and RNA found in meteorites from space.
Meteorites that fell to Earth in the last century contain nucleobases, the building blocks of DNA and RNA, suggesting life's precursors may have originated from space. Researchers used a cold-water extraction technique to identify these crucial ingredients, sparking interest in the study of life's origins beyond Earth.
Scientists have made a significant discovery by finding more life-sustaining components in meteorites that have fallen to Earth over the past century. These meteorites contain nucleobases, which are fundamental building blocks of DNA and RNA, such as adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil. The presence of these nucleobases, combined with sugars and phosphates, forms the genetic code necessary for all life on our planet. This discovery adds weight to the hypothesis that the precursors of life originated from space.
Researchers employed a novel extraction technique using cold water to carefully analyze the meteorite samples. Through this method, they identified and measured various nucleobases and related compounds. While some compounds detected in the meteorites were also found in the surrounding soil, others were significantly different, suggesting a possible extraterrestrial origin.
The finding, published in Nature Communications, marks a crucial step in our understanding of life's origins and raises intriguing questions about the role of meteorites in seeding life on Earth. However, some experts remain cautious about fully confirming the extraterrestrial origin of these compounds, calling for more compelling evidence.
To gain further insights, researchers plan to study pristine asteroid samples, as these objects are more likely to provide uncontaminated evidence of extraterrestrial nucleobases. Japan's Hayabusa2 mission has already brought samples from the asteroid Ryugu to Earth, and NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is expected to do the same with samples from the asteroid Bennu in September 2023. By examining these asteroid materials, scientists hope to shed more light on the origins of life on Earth and potentially unravel the mysteries of life beyond our planet.
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Source:
Oba, Y., Takano, Y., Furukawa, Y. et al. Identifying the wide diversity of extraterrestrial purine and pyrimidine nucleobases in carbonaceous meteorites. Nat Commun 13, 2008 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29612-x
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