Origin of life insight: Peptides can form without amino acids

[Wandering Monk]

Peptides, one of the fundamental building blocks of life, can be formed from the primitive precursors of amino acids under conditions similar to those expected on the primordial Earth, finds a new study.


Origin of life insight: Peptides can form without amino acids

 

[Road Less Traveled]

Peptides, one of the fundamental building blocks of life, can be formed from the primitive precursors of amino acids under conditions similar to those expected on the primordial Earth, finds a new study.


Origin of life insight: Peptides can form without amino acids

From link:
‘They found that aminonitriles have the innate reactivity to achieve peptide bond formation in water with greater ease than amino acids.’

That could potentially solve the amino acid’s being unable to randomly bond well in water issue. As also suggested from the link were struggles with the central focus on only amino acids.

 

[shunyadragon]

Neat reference to an advance in the science of abiogenesis.

 

[Stevicus]

Peptides, one of the fundamental building blocks of life, can be formed from the primitive precursors of amino acids under conditions similar to those expected on the primordial Earth, finds a new study.


Origin of life insight: Peptides can form without amino acids

I'll have a cellular peptide cake, with mint frosting.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Peptides, one of the fundamental building blocks of life, can be formed from the primitive precursors of amino acids under conditions similar to those expected on the primordial Earth, finds a new study.


Origin of life insight: Peptides can form without amino acids

Interesting read. Thanks!

 

[exchemist]

Peptides, one of the fundamental building blocks of life, can be formed from the primitive precursors of amino acids under conditions similar to those expected on the primordial Earth, finds a new study.


Origin of life insight: Peptides can form without amino acids

Yes indeed. The Nature abstract is here for anyone wanting a more technical take on it:
Peptide ligation by chemoselective aminonitrile coupling in water

The key sentence seems to be this : " Here we report a chemoselective, high-yielding α-aminonitrile ligation that exploits only prebiotically plausible molecules—hydrogen sulfide, thioacetate12,14 and ferricyanide12,14,15,16,17 or cyanoacetylene8,14—to yield α-peptides in water."

It all seems to revolve around thioesters, which is appealing as they are implicated in other biochemical processes too.

 

[sayak83]

Yes indeed. The Nature abstract is here for anyone wanting a more technical take on it:
Peptide ligation by chemoselective aminonitrile coupling in water

The key sentence seems to be this : " Here we report a chemoselective, high-yielding α-aminonitrile ligation that exploits only prebiotically plausible molecules—hydrogen sulfide, thioacetate12,14 and ferricyanide12,14,15,16,17 or cyanoacetylene8,14—to yield α-peptides in water."

It all seems to revolve around thioesters, which is appealing as they are implicated in other biochemical processes too.

Yes. Things are going quite well. I am thinking on starting a research project on abiogenesis chemistry as well in a few years time.