Year-Long Stability of Nucleic Acid Bases in Concentrated Sulfuric Acid: Implications for the Persistence of Organic Chemistry in Venus’ Clouds

Author:

Seager Sara1234,Petkowski Janusz J.156ORCID,Seager Maxwell D.47ORCID,Grimes John H.8ORCID,Zinsli Zachary9,Vollmer-Snarr Heidi R.9,Abd El-Rahman Mohamed K.9,Wishart David S.101112ORCID,Lee Brian L.10,Gautam Vasuk10ORCID,Herrington Lauren1,Bains William11314ORCID,Darrow Charles4

Affiliation:

1. Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

2. Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

3. Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

4. Nanoplanet Consulting, Concord, MA 01742, USA

5. JJ Scientific, 02-792 Warsaw, Poland

6. Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland

7. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA

8. Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA 30602, USA

9. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

10. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada

11. Department of Computing Science, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada

12. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada

13. School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, 4 The Parade, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK

14. Rufus Scientific, Melbourn, Herts SG8 6ED, UK

Abstract

We show that the nucleic acid bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine, and uracil, as well as 2,6-diaminopurine, and the “core” nucleic acid bases purine and pyrimidine, are stable for more than one year in concentrated sulfuric acid at room temperature and at acid concentrations relevant for Venus clouds (81% w/w to 98% w/w acid, the rest water). This work builds on our initial stability studies and is the first ever to test the reactivity and structural integrity of organic molecules subjected to extended incubation in concentrated sulfuric acid. The one-year-long stability of nucleic acid bases supports the notion that the Venus cloud environment—composed of concentrated sulfuric acid—may be able to support complex organic chemicals for extended periods of time.

Funder

MIT

Nanoplanet Consulting LLC

Sloan Foundation

Publisher

MDPI AG

Cited by 1 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3