What essential building blocks confirmed in carbonaceous chondrites act as components of proteins?
Answer
Amino acids
Carbonaceous chondrites, a type of asteroid, have been found to contain complex organic molecules crucial for life. Specifically, studies examining fragments like the Murchison meteorite confirmed the presence of numerous amino acids. Amino acids are the fundamental monomers that link together to form proteins, which are essential macromolecules required for virtually all known biological structures and functions. The widespread detection of these organic compounds demonstrates that the basic chemical ingredients necessary for life are readily available across the solar system, even if the processes leading to actual biology occurred elsewhere.
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