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Oro, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Oro, J..

At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

Chemical evolution - Recent syntheses of bioorganic molecules.

Review of the important developments that have occurred in abiological biomonomer and biopolymer synthesis since about 1967, and discussion of their significance for the field of chemical evolution and the origin of life. The major portion of the review is devoted to important developments in the abiotic formation of bioorganic monomers and their condensation to biopolymers under conditions presumed to have prevailed on the primeval earth. Special attention is given to contributions shedding light on the mechanism of synthesis and selection of amino acids and on interactions of amino acids and polypeptides with nucleotides and oligonucleotides.

Stephen-Sherwood, E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Organic analysis of lunar samples and the Martian surface.

In addition to the organogenic elements (H, C, N, O, S, P) which are necessary for the synthesis of organic molecules, the lunar samples from Apollo 11, 12, 14, and 15 contain substantial amounts of CO, N2, and CO2 which are released at relatively high temperatures and smaller amounts of more complex organic compounds (e.g., benzene). The lunar surface provides one of the less favorable solar system models for the synthesis of organic compounds; yet small amounts of these compounds have been detected in the returned samples. It is reasonable to assume that the different physical and developmental features of the planet Mars (increased gravitational field, presence of an atmosphere with CO2, CO, and H2O, recent volcanic and tectonic activity, etc.) would favor an increased organic content of the surface of this planet relative to the moon. Therefore the organic molecules present in the Martian soil should be measurable by miniaturized mass spectrometers after fractional distillation or gas chromatographic separation of the volatiles released by moderate heating.

Oro, J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Extraterrestrial organic analysis.

Brief review of relevant information on the composition of stars, interstellar matter, and individual bodies of the solar system. An attempt is made to answer fundamental questions of organic cosmochemistry - namely, the nature of the organic and related molecules present in our Galaxy and solar system, the distribution of these molecules in different parts of the two systems, the mechanism of formation of these molecules, and the relation between these molecules and prebiological chemical evolution on the one hand, and terrestrial and, possibly, extraterrestrial biology, on the other. Detailed studies are made of the formation and chemical behavior of the organogenic elements in stars, interstellar matter, comets, meteorites, carbonaceous chondrites, and the terrestrial and Jovian planets.

Oro, J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Mass spectrometric analysis of organic compounds, water and volatile constituents in the atmosphere and surface of Mars - The Viking Mars Lander.

An experiment centering around a mass spectrometer is described, which is aimed at the identification of organic substances present in the top 10 cm of the surface of Mars and an analysis of the atmosphere for major and minor constituents as well as isotopic abundances. In addition, an indication of the abundance of water in the surface and some information concerning the mineralogy can be obtained by monitoring the gases produced upon heating the soil sample. The organic material will simply be expelled by heating to 150, 300, and 500 C into the carrier gas stream of a gas chromatograph interfaced to the mass spectrometer or by slowly heating the sample in direct communication with the spectrometer. It is planned to analyze a total of up to nine soil samples in order to study diurnal and seasonal variations. The system is designed to give useful data even for minor constituents if the total of organics should be as low as 5 ppm. The spectrometer covers the mass range of 12-200 with adequate resolution.

Anderson, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Non-enzymic beta-decarboxylation of aspartic acid.

Study of the mechanism of nonenzymic beta-decarboxylation of aspartic acid in the presence of metal ions and pyridoxal. The results suggest that aspartic acid is first converted to oxalacetic acid by transamination with pyridoxal which in turn is converted to pyridoxamine. This is followed by decarboxylation of oxalacetic acid to form pyruvic acid which transaminates with pyridoxamine to form alanine. The possible significance of these results to prebiotic molecular evolution is briefly discussed.

Doctor, V. M.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Differential thermal analysis and gas release studies of Apollo 11 samples.

The liquidus-solidus behavior of Apollo 11 lunar fines and the evolution characteristics of CO, nitrogen, He, Ne, and Ar were investigated by use of the combined techniques of high-vacuum differential thermal analysis (DTA) and mass spectrometry between 100 and 1500 C. The DTA thermogram has shown that the lunar fines undergo partial melting over a broad range of temperature from about 915 to 1300 C, with a significant initial melting of glassy and crystalline components within the fines at about 1140 C. The lunar material becomes a homogeneous melt at about 1300 C.

Wachi, F. M.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Synthesis of adenine, guanine, cytosine, and other nitrogen organic compounds by a Fischer-Tropsch-like process.

Study of the formation of purines, pyrimidines, and other bases from CO, H2, and NH3 under conditions similar to those used in the Fischer-Tropsch process. It is found that industrial nickel/iron alloy catalyzes the synthesis of adenine, guanine, cytosine, and other nitrogenous compounds from mixtures of CO, H2, and NH3 at temperatures of about 600 C. Sufficient sample was accumulated to isolate as solid products adenine, guanine, and cytosine, which were identified by infrared spectrophotometry. In the absence of nickel/iron catalyst, at 650 C, or in the presence of this catalyst, at 450 C, no purines or pyrimidines were synthesized. These results confirm and extend some of the work reported by Kayatsu et al. (1968).

Yang, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The effect of imidazole, cyanamide, and polyornithine on the condensation of nucleotides in aqueous systems.

Development of two models for the condensation of nucleotides under possibly prebiotic conditions. In the first of these models this type of reaction is promoted by the presence of imidazole and substituted imidazole compounds. The second model involves the condensation of mononucleotides with cyanamide in the presence and absence of a prototemplate such as polyornithine. A tentative mechanism for the role of imidazole catalysis in phosphodiester bond formation between adjacent TMP molecules is suggested.

Ibanez, J.↗