A New Approach in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies: Proline Sorption Triggered by Mineral Surfaces Analysed Using XPS
The role of minerals in the origin of life and prebiotic evolution remains unknown and controversial. Mineral surfaces have the potential to facilitate prebiotic polymerization due to their ability to adsorb and concentrate biomolecules that subsequently can catalyse reactions; however, the precise...
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/4/908 |
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| author | Eduardo J. Cueto-Díaz Santos Gálvez-Martínez María Colin-García Eva Mateo-Martí |
| author_facet | Eduardo J. Cueto-Díaz Santos Gálvez-Martínez María Colin-García Eva Mateo-Martí |
| author_sort | Eduardo J. Cueto-Díaz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The role of minerals in the origin of life and prebiotic evolution remains unknown and controversial. Mineral surfaces have the potential to facilitate prebiotic polymerization due to their ability to adsorb and concentrate biomolecules that subsequently can catalyse reactions; however, the precise nature of the interaction between the mineral host and the guest biomolecule still needs to be understood. In this context, we spectroscopically characterized, using infrared, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, the interaction between L-proline and montmorillonite, olivine, iron disulphide, and haematite (minerals of prebiotic interest), by evaluating their interaction from a liquid medium. This work provides insight into the chemical processes occurring between proline, the only cyclic amino acid, and this selection of minerals, each of them bearing a particular chemical and crystal structures. Proline was successfully adsorbed on montmorillonite, haematite, olivine, and iron disulphide in anionic and zwitterionic chemical forms, being the predominant form directly related to the mineral structure and composition. Silicates (montmorillonite) dominate adsorption, whereas iron oxides (haematite) show the lowest molecular affinity. This approach will help to understand structure-affinity relationship between the mineral surfaces and proline, one of the nine amino acids generated in the Miller-Urey experiment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:49:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3ec7a19c22444e5da99f871603e8386c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:49:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-3ec7a19c22444e5da99f871603e8386c2023-11-17T20:05:18ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292023-03-0113490810.3390/life13040908A New Approach in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies: Proline Sorption Triggered by Mineral Surfaces Analysed Using XPSEduardo J. Cueto-Díaz0Santos Gálvez-Martínez1María Colin-García2Eva Mateo-Martí3Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, km. 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, SpainCentro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, km. 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, SpainInstituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, MexicoCentro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, km. 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, SpainThe role of minerals in the origin of life and prebiotic evolution remains unknown and controversial. Mineral surfaces have the potential to facilitate prebiotic polymerization due to their ability to adsorb and concentrate biomolecules that subsequently can catalyse reactions; however, the precise nature of the interaction between the mineral host and the guest biomolecule still needs to be understood. In this context, we spectroscopically characterized, using infrared, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, the interaction between L-proline and montmorillonite, olivine, iron disulphide, and haematite (minerals of prebiotic interest), by evaluating their interaction from a liquid medium. This work provides insight into the chemical processes occurring between proline, the only cyclic amino acid, and this selection of minerals, each of them bearing a particular chemical and crystal structures. Proline was successfully adsorbed on montmorillonite, haematite, olivine, and iron disulphide in anionic and zwitterionic chemical forms, being the predominant form directly related to the mineral structure and composition. Silicates (montmorillonite) dominate adsorption, whereas iron oxides (haematite) show the lowest molecular affinity. This approach will help to understand structure-affinity relationship between the mineral surfaces and proline, one of the nine amino acids generated in the Miller-Urey experiment.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/4/908prolineXPSinfraredprebiotic chemistrymineral surfacesmontmorillonite |
| spellingShingle | Eduardo J. Cueto-Díaz Santos Gálvez-Martínez María Colin-García Eva Mateo-Martí A New Approach in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies: Proline Sorption Triggered by Mineral Surfaces Analysed Using XPS Life proline XPS infrared prebiotic chemistry mineral surfaces montmorillonite |
| title | A New Approach in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies: Proline Sorption Triggered by Mineral Surfaces Analysed Using XPS |
| title_full | A New Approach in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies: Proline Sorption Triggered by Mineral Surfaces Analysed Using XPS |
| title_fullStr | A New Approach in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies: Proline Sorption Triggered by Mineral Surfaces Analysed Using XPS |
| title_full_unstemmed | A New Approach in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies: Proline Sorption Triggered by Mineral Surfaces Analysed Using XPS |
| title_short | A New Approach in Prebiotic Chemistry Studies: Proline Sorption Triggered by Mineral Surfaces Analysed Using XPS |
| title_sort | new approach in prebiotic chemistry studies proline sorption triggered by mineral surfaces analysed using xps |
| topic | proline XPS infrared prebiotic chemistry mineral surfaces montmorillonite |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/4/908 |
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