1. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology1 Elementary contents (weight percentage) in extraterrestrial minerals and terrestrial basalts

2. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology2 Perseus hardware (Exobiology experiment) onboard MIR space station Mounted hardware (core module)

3. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology3 Principal scheme of sample cavity in Perseus hardware MgF 2 glass Dry films (samples) Experimental tube Dry films (samples) MgF 2 glass

4. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology4 A A B C DDD Outside container, placed on the outer surface of Kosmos- 2044 spacecraft; (A) Baseplate with sample holders. (B) Temperature sensor. (C) Gamma radiation dosimeter (D) Dry samples (Uridine + inorganic phosphate. Flight duration - 14 days, temperature variations from -13 о С to +67 о.

5. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology5 Meduza cassette device for outside samples exposure

6. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology6 Table 1 Quantitative yield of nucleotides (in % from initial nucleoside) synthesized in course of experiments performed at Earth orbit NucleosideProducts analyzed Salut-7, 13 months Salut-7, 16 months MIR, 113 daysCosmos-2044* Bion- 11** (14 days) Ado 5 0.120.10 3.23 23c23c 0.060.040.051.12 2 0.090.070.010.82 3 0.050.03 0.71 35c35c 0.01 0.080.01 Total yield0.330.250.275.8 Ado decay51585051 dAdo 5 0.070.050.011.87 3 0.060.030.0080.48 35c35c 0.030.02Tracestraces Total yield0.160.100.0182.35 dAdo decay7980 46 Cyt 5 0.140.11Not exposed2.68 23c23c 0.10 0.94 2 0.040.030.61 3 0.020.010.55 35c35c traces Total yield0.300.254.78 Cyd decay647666 Urd 5 0.080.1000.071.20 23c23c traces0.001traces0.05 2 0.0300.030.08 3 0.030.0200.010.05 35c35c traces Total yield0.160.150.112.10 Urd decay70657065 *Experiments were performed for uridine (Urd) only **Experiments were performed for adenosine (Ado), deoxyadenosine (dAdo) and cytosine (Cyt)

7. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology7

8. 8 Formation of 5’UMP (in % of the initial uridine amount) in different radiation conditions

9. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology9 Principal scheme of sample cavity in the experimental hardware Mercury lamp (254 nm) +25 0 C; 4.4*10 7 J* m -2 Sample exposed (solid film, 1 cm 2 ) MgF 2 glass CO 2, N 2, O 2

10. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology10 Confocal microscope imaging of irradiated pellicles Filaments of adenosine shaped as branches without any mineral inclusions (up) and with lunar soil particles (down)

11. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology11 Formation of 5’AMP and survival of initial AMP in laboratory experiments B – in absence of lunar soil, C – in presence of lunar soil Time, hours

12. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology12 Formation of 5’AMP and survival of initial AMP in laboratory experiments

13. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology13 Aminoacids: experimental objectives To simulate some Martian environmental factors in laboratory conditions To study the influence of Martian soil analogues (limonite and basalt) over destruction of peptides irradiated by UV 254 To evaluate the effect of different type of atmospheres on prebiotic synthesis of organic molecules To reveal the action of different Martian soil components over prebiotic synthesis

14. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology14 Surface atmospheric pressure: ~6.1 mb (about 1/150th that of Earth's) Surface gas density: ~0.020 kg/m 3 Atmospheric scale height: 11.1 km Average temperature: ~210 K (-63 degrees Celsius) Wind speeds: 2-7 m/s (summer), 5-10 m/s (fall), 17-30 m/s (dust storm) Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) - 95.32% (percentage by moles): Nitrogen (N 2 ) - 2.7; Argon (Ar) - 1.6% ; Oxygen (O 2 ) - 0.13%; Carbon Monoxide (CO) - 0.08% Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) - 95.32% (percentage by moles): Nitrogen (N 2 ) - 2.7; Argon (Ar) - 1.6% ; Oxygen (O 2 ) - 0.13%; Carbon Monoxide (CO) - 0.08% Minor (ppm): Water (H 2 O) – 210; Nitrogen Oxide (NO) – 100; Neon (Ne) - 2.5; Krypton (Kr) - 0.3; Xenon (Xe) - 0.08 Minor (ppm): Water (H 2 O) – 210; Nitrogen Oxide (NO) – 100; Neon (Ne) - 2.5; Krypton (Kr) - 0.3; Xenon (Xe) - 0.08 Current Martian atmospheric data

15. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology15 *The chemical composition was determined by the two Viking Landers and by the Pathfinder rover (average of about 5 sites at the Pathfinder landing site Science, volume 278, December 5, 1997) Properties and percentages of Martian soil

16. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology16 Stability of Phe irradiated by VUV 254 in presence of Martian soil analogues B – in the absence of minerals; C – In association with limonite D – in association with basalt

17. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology17 Formation of polypeptides after UV 254 exposure of dry films Phe+Gly B – in the absence of minerals; C – In association with limonite D – in association with basalt

18. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology18 Formation of dipeptides(GG) after UV 254 exposure of dry samples B – in the absence of minerals; C – In association with limonite D – in association with basalt

19. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology19 Stability of Phe and Gly after 5 months of irradiation associated with different minerals (% of the initial amount)

20. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology20 Photochemical survival of Phe in different type of atmospheres

21. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology21 Interaction of montmorillonite ((Na,K,Ca)(Аl,Fe,Мg)[(Si,Al) 4 O 10 ](OH) 2 *nH 2 O) catalytic cites and aminoacid molecules leading to the peptide bond formation а – Formation of catalytically active cites on the mineral surface. Activation of amino acid molecules occurs on the edges of clay particles, enriched by AlO - groups. в – Activation of functional groups of zwitterions. Proton removal from aminogroup to AlO - of montmorillonite leads to the formation of nucleophilic amino group, required for dipeptide formation. с – Overall scheme of peptide bond formation. Final dimerization reaction involves to neighbor activated aminoacid molecules.

22. Nordic winter school on Astrobiology22 Basic conclusions The amplification of molecular structure could occur under the action of VUV radiation leading to the formation of natural substances. Lunar soil (CI), Murchison(CM2) and Allende (CV3) meteorites promote synthesis of polypeptides and nucleotides. Solid-phase synthesis of important organic substances could occur at the surfaces of comets, asteroids, meteorites and dust particles (small Solar system bodies). Minerals of extraterrestrial origin exhibited protective properties against cosmic radiation thus allowing protobiomolecules to survive during long- duration space journey. Biological important substances could have been transported safely to the Earth surface during the prebiotic period of its evolution and later contribute into further evolving of organic matter. Such an approach could help in solving the paradox of quick life origin at the early Earth.