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Proteinoid Microsphere

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Synonyms

Thermal copolymers of amino acids

Definition

Proteinoid microspheres are spherical structures to be formed when a heated mixture of amino acid molecules in the dry conditions is dissolved in water. The diameter of a typical microsphere is about a few micrometers.

Overview

The first experimental observation of proteinoid microsphere was made by Sidney W. Fox, Kaoru Harada and their colleague in 1959 (Fox et al. 1959). The term proteinoid coined by Fox is for a thermal copolymer of amino acid molecules. Proteinoids maintain within themselves side-chain bonds in addition to peptide bonds.

Proteinoids readily form microspherules in water. This is due to the fact that they are amphiphilic, consisting of molecules having a polar water-soluble group attached to a water-insoluble group. The presence of a polar water-soluble group which can easily be ionized has indirectly been confirmed in a dynamic manner by observing the oscillation of electrical potential of the surface of...

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References and Further Reading

  • Fox SW, Harada K, Kendrick J (1959) Production of spherules from synthetic proteinoid and hot water. Science 129:1221–1223

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nagaoka University of Technology, 940-2188, Nagaokam, Japan

    Koichiro Matsuno

Authors
  1. Koichiro Matsuno
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Koichiro Matsuno .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Matsuno, K. (2014). Proteinoid Microsphere. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1286-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1286-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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