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Science 11 September 1970:
Vol. 169. no. 3950, pp. 1079 - 1082
DOI: 10.1126/science.169.3950.1079
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Articles

Racemization of Amino Acids in Sediments from Saanich Inlet, British Columbia

Keith A. Kvenvolden 1, Etta Peterson 1, and Frederick S. Brown 2

1 Exobiology Division, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035
2 Biochemistry and Electrochemistry Department, Systems Group of TRW, Inc., Redondo Beach, California 90278

In sediments spanning the last 9000 years from Saanich Inlet L enantiomers of amino acids are most abundant, but the percentages of D enantiomers increase with age, apparently because of partial racemization. Of the amino acids measured, glutamic acid and alanine show the greatest degree of racemization; leucine, isoleucine, and valine show the least.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
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Racemization of Amino Acids in Marine Sediments.
J. Wehmiller, J. Wehmiller, and P. E. Hare (1971)
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