Amino acids geochemistry

Goodfriend, G. A., M. J. Collins, M. L. Fogel, S. A. Macko, and J. F. Wehmiller (eds.), Perspectives in Amino Acid and Protein Geochemistry, Oxford Univ. Press, New York. 

G.G. Smith, R.C. Evans, The Effect of Structure and Conditions on the Rate of Racemization of Free and Bound Amino Acids, in Bio geochemistry of Amino Acids, edited by P.E. Hare, T.C. Hoering, J. King, John Wiley Sons, Ltd, New York, 257 282 (1980). 

As noted above, with the exception of alanine, the addition of amino acids to form polypeptides allows for a large number of stereochemical isomers to be formed, even considering that all are of the L form. But nature does not allow for this diversity and rather selects only one configuration for a sequence to occur in its synthesis of structure-specific proteins such as those employed as enzymes. Even those employed for other activities such as muscle have a specific geochemistry. In fact, the cell produces only geometry-specific polypeptides. 

Hare, P. E. Geochemistry of proteins, peptides, and amino acids. In Organic geochemistry (eds. G. Eglinton and M. T. J. Murphy), pp. 438-463. New York Springer Verlag 1969. 

Sigleo, A.C., and Macko, S.A. (1985) Stable isotope and amino acid composition of estuarine dissolved colloidal material. In Marine and Estuarine Geochemistry (Sigleo, A.C., and Hattori, A., eds.), pp. 29-46, Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL. 

Hare, P. E., Geochemistry of Proteins, Peptides, and Amino Acids, in... 

Sulfur compounds are widespread in Nature in living organisms and this is also reflected in the geochemistry of sulfur. A constituent of amino acids (cysteine, methionine) and of cofactors such as biotin, thiamine, and coenzyme A, sulfur is essential for the maintenance of cells. Inorganic sulfur compounds, in the Earth s crust, the sea, and the atmosphere are converted by plants and microorganisms into organosulfur compounds, while the demands of animals and humans for sulfur is much lower and is usually met by the oxidation of amino acids. 

Stevenson, F. J. (1974). Nonbiological transformations of amino acids in soil and sediments. In Advanced in Organic Geochemistry (B. Tissot and F. Bienner, eds.). Editions Technip, Paris, pp. 143-151. 

Goodfriend G.A., Collins M.J., Fogel M.L., Macko S.A., Wehmiller J.F. (eds) (2001) Perspectives in Amino Acid and Protein Geochemistry. Oxford Oxford University Press. 

Mitterer R.M. (1993) The diagenesis of proteins and amino acids in fossil shells. In Organic Geochemistry (ed. Engel M.H., Macko S.A.), 739-53. New York Plenum Press. 

Much work has been published on the dissolution of iron oxides in connection with the iron cycle in geochemistry, decontamination processes or the clean-up of industrial facilities. We have already seen that strong chelating agents such as EDTA or amino acids can adsorb on the surface of oxides and promote their dissolution because they can form anion complexes that are more stable than the oxide [52,63,64], Citrates and oxalates, among others, act in a similar way [65], Dissolution of oxides is markedly accelerated if oxidation-reduction processes occur in conjunction with anion adsorption [66]. The adsorption of ascorbate on hematite is a good example [67] (Figure 9.16). The reduction of ferric ions is shown... 

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