Amino acids are small molecules that are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins serve as structural support inside the cell and they perform many vital chemical reactions. Each protein is a ...

“The discovery of extraterrestrial organic matter in the Bennu samples — including most of the amino acids used to build proteins in biology and all five nucleobases which are the genetic components ...

This can react with formaldehyde – also found in the Bennu samples – to form the amino acids and other complex molecules.

Ammonia is important to biology because it can react with formaldehyde, which also was detected in the samples, to form ...