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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology pp 1Cite as

Lysine

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Synonyms

Lys

Definition

Lysine is one of the 20 coded protein amino acids; its structure is NH2CH(CH2CH2CH2CH2NH2)COOH. Its molecular weight is 146.19. Its three-letter symbol is Lys, and the one-letter symbol is K. Lysine is a basic amino acid (pI is 9.74), as are histidine and arginine, but only lysine is a diamino acid (amino acid with two amino groups and one carboxylic group). Diaminoacids have been suggested to be key molecules for the abiotic construction of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs). Lysine (side-chain −CH2CH2CH2NH2) and ornithine (side-chain −CH2CH2NH2) have not been detected in carbonaceous chondrites, though diaminobutyric acid (−CH2CH2NH2) and diaminopropionic acid (−CH2NH2) have.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yokohama National University, 240-8501, Yokohama, Japan

    Kensei Kobayashi

Authors
  1. Kensei Kobayashi
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Correspondence to Kensei Kobayashi .

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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Kobayashi, K. (2014). Lysine. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_911-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_911-6

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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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