Lab. Life Sci. for Extremophiles

Universal elements of life in the universe include polymers that carry genetic information and function to pass on the information to descendants. On Earth, nucleic acids carry genetic information, while proteins serve as functional molecules. The structural units of proteins, amino acids, are composed of the four elements — H, C, N, and O — that are relatively abundant in the universe (although some amino acids also contain S), have relatively simple structures, and are thought to be universally present in the universe. This suggests that proteins composed of amino acids may also serve as functional polymers in extraterrestrial life.
　The organic compounds in meteorites are thought to reflect the diverse organic compounds present in the universe. Analysis of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites that have fallen to Earth has revealed the presence of several amino acids, indicating the possibility of their existence in the universe. Amino acids have also been detected in samples collected by asteroid exploration missions. Our research group aims to investigate whether functional proteins can be synthesized from amino acid species that are likely to exist in the universe and to explore the possibility of protein synthesis in the universe. We hope that this research will provide clues to the origin of life in the universe.