Abiotic hydrocarbons and carboxylic acids are known to be formed on Earth, notably during the hydrothermal alteration of mantle rocks. Although the abiotic formation of amino acids has been predicted both from experimental studies and thermodynamic calculations, its occurrence has not been demonstrated in terrestrial settings. Here, using a multimodal approach that combines high-resolution imaging techniques, we obtain evidence for the occurrence of aromatic amino acids formed abiotically and subsequently preserved at depth beneath the Atlantis Massif (Mid-Atlantic Ridge). These aromatic amino acids may have been formed through Friedel–Crafts reactions catalysed by an iron-rich saponite clay during a late alteration stage of the massif serpentinites. Demonstrating the potential of fluid-rock interactions in the oceanic lithosphere to generate amino acids abiotically gives credence to the hydrothermal theory for the origin of life, and may shed light on ancient metabolisms and the functioning of the present-day deep biosphere.High-resolution imaging techniques show that aromatic amino acids such as tryptophan formed abiotically and were subsequently preserved at depth beneath the Atlantis Massif of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, supporting the hydrothermal theory for the origin of life.

中文翻译：

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大洋岩石圈凹陷中氨基酸的非生物合成

已知非生物碳氢化合物和羧酸在地球上形成，特别是在地幔岩石的热液蚀变期间。尽管已经从实验研究和热力学计算中预测了氨基酸的非生物形成，但尚未在陆地环境中证明其发生。在这里，我们使用结合高分辨率成像技术的多模式方法，获得了在亚特兰蒂斯地块（大西洋中脊）下方以非生物方式形成并随后保存在深处的芳香族氨基酸发生的证据。这些芳香族氨基酸可能是通过富铁皂石粘土在地块蛇纹岩的晚期蚀变阶段催化的 Friedel-Crafts 反应形成的。