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Laboratory simulation of UV irradiation from the Sun on amino acids. II. Irradiation of phenylalanine and tryptophan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2007

F. Scappini ,
M.L. Capobianco ,
F. Casadei ,
R. Zamboni  and
P. Giorgianni
F. Scappini
Affiliation:
Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati del C.N.R., Via P. Gobetti, 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy e-mail: f.scappini@bo.ismn.cnr.it
M.L. Capobianco
Affiliation:
Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività del C.N.R., Via P. Gobetti, 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
F. Casadei
Affiliation:
Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati del C.N.R., Via P. Gobetti, 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy e-mail: f.scappini@bo.ismn.cnr.it
R. Zamboni
Affiliation:
Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati del C.N.R., Via P. Gobetti, 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy e-mail: f.scappini@bo.ismn.cnr.it
P. Giorgianni
Affiliation:
Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività del C.N.R., Via P. Gobetti, 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
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Abstract

The effects of near ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on water solutions of phenylalanine and tryptophan have been investigated using a broad-band xenon lamp in the region 200–800 nm. This is a step in the laboratory simulation of the effects of Solar radiation on the building blocks of life, specifically α-amino acids, with regards to the origin of life. Results are presented showing the photodegradation of phenylalanine and tryptophan against different UV doses. Some of the degradation products are still protein amino acids. An analysis of the irradiated solutions is carried out by spectroscopic and analytic techniques. The laboratory simulations are discussed in the wake of a life emerging scenario on the primitive Earth.

Keywords

amino acidsastrobiologychemical evolutionorigin of lifeUV irradiation of amino acids
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , October 2007 , pp. 281 - 289
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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