Peptide bond formation of alanine on silica and alumina surfaces as a catalyst
Abstract
Polymerization of amino acids has been important for the origin of life because the peptides may have been the first self-replicating systems. The amino acid concentrations in the oceans may have been too diluted in the early phases of the Earth. The formation of the biopolymers could have been due to the catalytic action of various minerals (such as silica or alumina). Our work is based on the comparison between alumina and silica minerals with and without prior activation of their silanol groups for the formation of peptide bonds using alanina like amino acid which it is the simplest quiral amino acid.
- Publication:
-
European Planetary Science Congress 2012
- Pub Date:
- September 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012epsc.conf..375S