Scientists find possible origin of adenine

COLUMBIA, Mo., Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Along with oxygen, carbon and water, the organic element adenine is necessary to support life on Earth and U.S. researchers might have found its origin.

Scientists have been trying to find the origin of Earth's adenine and where else it might exist in the solar system and now University of Missouri-Columbia Professor Rainer Glaser says he might have the answer.

Using a theoretical model, Glaser is hypothesizing the existence of adenine in interstellar dust clouds that might have showered young Earth with adenine as it began cooling billions of years ago, and could potentially hold the key for initiating a similar process on another planet.

Glaser believes astronomers should look for interstellar dust clouds that have highly concentrated hydrogen cyanide, which can indicate the presence of adenine. Finding such pockets would narrow the spectrum of where life could exist within the Milky Way galaxy.

The theory was presented in a recent issue of the journal Astrobiology, co-authored with Brian Hodgen of Creighton University, Dean Farrelly of the University of Manchester and Elliot McKee of St. Louis University.

The research was also featured in the Aug. 6 issue of Chemical & Engineering News.