Abiotic synthesis of amino acids in the recesses of the oceanic lithosphere
Open accessAbstract
Abiotic hydrocarbons and carboxylic acids are known to be formed on Earth, notably during the hydrothermal alteration of mantle rocks. Although the abiotic formation of amino acids has been predicted both from experimental studies and thermodynamic calculations, its occurrence has not been demonstrated in terrestrial settings. Here, using a multimodal approach that combines high-resolution imaging techniques, we obtain evidence for the occurrence of aromatic amino acids formed abiotically and subsequently preserved at depth beneath the Atlantis Massif (Mid-Atlantic Ridge). These aromatic amino acids may have been formed through Friedel-Crafts reactions catalysed by an iron-rich saponite clay during a late alteration stage of the massif serpentinites. Demonstrating the potential of fluid-rock interactions in the oceanic lithosphere to generate amino acids abiotically gives credence to the hydrothermal theory for the origin of life, and may shed light on ancient metabolisms and the functioning of the present-day deep biosphere.
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Ménez et al. (2018) reported the presence of abiotic tryptophan and other amino acids in the Atlantis massif that hosts the Lost City hydrothermal field.
“Ménez et al. (2018) reported the presence of abiotic tryptophan and other amino acids in the Atlantis massif that hosts the Lost City hydrothermal field.”
From Serpentinization as the source of energy, electrons, organics, catalysts, nutrients and pH gradients for the origin of LUCA and life (2023) · cites this paper as Ménez et al., 2018
The ‘Serpentinite-hosted amino acids’ section reports tryptophan in a rock sample drilled from the Atlantis massif, and ‘An abiotic origin for the amino acids’ argues that its signatures favor an abiotic origin (page numbers unavailable). The passages do not establish the presence of other distinct abiotic amino acids in that sample; the detected compounds discussed alongside tryptophan are not identified as other amino acids. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe findings of Ménez et al. (2018) indicate that geochemical nitrogen fixation to amino acids is possible.
“The findings of Ménez et al. (2018) indicate that geochemical nitrogen fixation to amino acids is possible.”
From Serpentinization as the source of energy, electrons, organics, catalysts, nutrients and pH gradients for the origin of LUCA and life (2023) · cites this paper as Ménez et al., 2018
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“Ménez et al. (2018) reported the presence of abiotic tryptophan and other amino acids in the Atlantis massif that hosts the Lost City hydrothermal field.”
BackgroundA hydrogen dependent geochemical analogue of primordial carbon and energy metabolism
Preiner, M., Igarashi, K., Muchowska, K. B., Yu, M., Varma, S. J., Kleinermanns, K., Nobu, M. K., Kamagata, Y., Tüysüz, H., Moran, J., et al. (2019) · doi:10.1101/682955 · Cited by 272 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ménez, B., Pisapia, C., Andreani, M., Jamme, F., Vanbellingen, Q. P., Brunelle, A., Richard, L., Dumas, P., & Réfrégiers, M.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Synchrotron SOLEIL (FR)
- Université Paris-Sud (FR)
- Nazarbayev University (KZ)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2018-11-07
- Volume
- 564
- Issue
- 7734
- Pages
- 59-63
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2900431189
- Cited by
- 249
- References
- 64
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 13.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- nur.nu.edu.kz
- Licence
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Nazarbayev University Repository (Nazarbayev University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-14-CE01-0008)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Keywords
- aromatic amino acids, tryptophan, Friedel-Crafts reaction, saponite, iron catalysis, hydrothermal alteration, serpentinite, Atlantis Massif, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, oceanic lithosphere, fluid-rock interaction, origin of life, deep biosphere, carboxylic acids, hydrocarbons
- MeSH terms
- Origin of Life, Clay, Aluminum Silicates, Atlantic Ocean, Fluorescence, Iron, Models, Chemical, Tryptophan, Evolution, Chemical
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