Nucleic acid bases in Titan tholins and possible genetic systems in the Titan liquidosphere

Life Sciences in Space Research
Jun KawaiK Kobayashi

Abstract

Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and possesses a dense atmosphere composed of nitrogen and methane. Various types of organic compounds (hydrocarbons, nitriles, etc.) have been found on Titan, which were generated by reactions taking place in its atmosphere. These reactions are considered to provide crucial evidence for chemical reactions which may have occurred in the atmosphere of primitive Earth. Cassini discovered several lakes of liquid methane and ethane on Titan's surface; in addition, the presence of ammonia water in its sub-surface was implied. In order to simulate the chemical reactions in Titan's atmosphere, gas mixtures of nitrogen and methane have been exposed to plasma discharges to synthesize complex organic matters. In this study, we focused on the formation of nucleic acid bases and related compounds recovered from synthesized Titan tholins. The five nucleic acid bases that terrestrial life uses (adenine, cytosine, thymine, guanine, and uracil) have already been reported to be present in synthesized Titan tholins. Purines and pyrimidines, including the five aforementioned nucleic acid bases, were extracted from synthesized Titan tholins and analyzed by HPLC and LC/MS. As a result, the pyrimidine bases of isoc...Continue Reading

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