Phosphoric acid salts of amino acids as a source of
oligopeptides on the early Earth

J 2024

Phosphoric acid salts of amino acids as a source of oligopeptides on the early Earth

SPONER, Judit E; Remi COULON; Michal OTYEPKA; Jiri SPONER; Alexander F SIEGLE et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Phosphoric acid salts of amino acids as a source of oligopeptides on the early Earth

Authors

SPONER, Judit E; Remi COULON; Michal OTYEPKA; Jiri SPONER; Alexander F SIEGLE; Oliver TRAPP; Katarzyna SLEPOKURA; Zbyněk ZDRÁHAL (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Ondrej ŠEDO (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

COMMUNICATIONS CHEMISTRY, ENGLAND, NATURE PORTFOLIO, 2024, 2399-3669

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Article in a journal

Field of Study

10400 1.4 Chemical sciences

Country of publisher

Germany

Confidentiality degree

is not subject to a state or trade secret

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 5.900 in 2023

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14740/24:00138996

Organization unit

Central European Institute of Technology

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01264-6

UT WoS

001296614900001

EID Scopus

2-s2.0-85201668530

Keywords in English

PEPTIDE-BOND FORMATION; THERMAL COPOLYMERIZATION; CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE; CONDENSATION; GLYCINE; WATER; PHOSPHORYLATION; OLIGOMERIZATION; POLYMERIZATION; ORIGIN

Abstract

In the original language

Because of their unique proton-conductivity, chains of phosphoric acid molecules are excellent proton-transfer catalysts. Here we demonstrate that this property could have been exploited for the prebiotic synthesis of the first oligopeptide sequences on our planet. Our results suggest that drying highly diluted solutions containing amino acids (like glycine, histidine and arginine) and phosphates in comparable concentrations at elevated temperatures (ca. 80 degrees C) in an acidic environment could lead to the accumulation of amino acid:phosphoric acid crystalline salts. Subsequent heating of these materials at 100 degrees C for 1-3 days results in the formation of oligoglycines consisting of up to 24 monomeric units, while arginine and histidine form shorter oligomers (up to trimers) only. Overall, our results suggest that combining the catalytic effect of phosphate chains with the crystalline order present in amino acid:phosphoric acid salts represents a viable solution that could be utilized to generate the first oligopeptide sequences in a mild acidic hydrothermal field scenario. Further, we propose that crystallization could help overcoming cyclic oligomer formation that is a generally known bottleneck of prebiotic polymerization processes preventing further chain growth.

Links

EF18_046/0015974, research and development project

Name: Modernizace České infrastruktury pro integrativní strukturní biologii

90242, large research infrastructures

Name: CIISB III

Cite

SPONER, Judit E; Remi COULON; Michal OTYEPKA; Jiri SPONER; Alexander F SIEGLE; Oliver TRAPP; Katarzyna SLEPOKURA; Zbyněk ZDRÁHAL and Ondrej ŠEDO. Phosphoric acid salts of amino acids as a source of oligopeptides on the early Earth. COMMUNICATIONS CHEMISTRY. ENGLAND: NATURE PORTFOLIO, 2024, vol. 7, No 1, p. 1-8. ISSN 2399-3669. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01264-6.

@article{2481858,
   author = {Sponer, Judit E and Coulon, Remi and Otyepka, Michal and Sponer, Jiri and Siegle, Alexander F and Trapp, Oliver and Slepokura, Katarzyna and Zdráhal, Zbyněk and Šedo, Ondrej},
   article_location = {ENGLAND},
   article_number = {1},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01264-6},
   keywords = {PEPTIDE-BOND FORMATION; THERMAL COPOLYMERIZATION; CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE; CONDENSATION; GLYCINE; WATER; PHOSPHORYLATION; OLIGOMERIZATION; POLYMERIZATION; ORIGIN},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {2399-3669},
   journal = {COMMUNICATIONS CHEMISTRY},
   title = {Phosphoric acid salts of amino acids as a source of oligopeptides on the early Earth},
   url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s42004-024-01264-6},
   volume = {7},
   year = {2024}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 2481858
AU  - Sponer, Judit E - Coulon, Remi - Otyepka, Michal - Sponer, Jiri - Siegle, Alexander F - Trapp, Oliver - Slepokura, Katarzyna - Zdráhal, Zbyněk - Šedo, Ondrej
PY  - 2024
TI  - Phosphoric acid salts of amino acids as a source of oligopeptides on the early Earth
JF  - COMMUNICATIONS CHEMISTRY
VL  - 7
IS  - 1
SP  - 1-8
EP  - 1-8
PB  - NATURE PORTFOLIO
SN  - 23993669
KW  - PEPTIDE-BOND FORMATION
KW  - THERMAL COPOLYMERIZATION
KW  - CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE
KW  - CONDENSATION
KW  - GLYCINE
KW  - WATER
KW  - PHOSPHORYLATION
KW  - OLIGOMERIZATION
KW  - POLYMERIZATION
KW  - ORIGIN
UR  - https://www.nature.com/articles/s42004-024-01264-6
N2  - Because of their unique proton-conductivity, chains of phosphoric acid molecules are excellent proton-transfer catalysts. Here we demonstrate that this property could have been exploited for the prebiotic synthesis of the first oligopeptide sequences on our planet. Our results suggest that drying highly diluted solutions containing amino acids (like glycine, histidine and arginine) and phosphates in comparable concentrations at elevated temperatures (ca. 80 degrees C) in an acidic environment could lead to the accumulation of amino acid:phosphoric acid crystalline salts. Subsequent heating of these materials at 100 degrees C for 1-3 days results in the formation of oligoglycines consisting of up to 24 monomeric units, while arginine and histidine form shorter oligomers (up to trimers) only. Overall, our results suggest that combining the catalytic effect of phosphate chains with the crystalline order present in amino acid:phosphoric acid salts represents a viable solution that could be utilized to generate the first oligopeptide sequences in a mild acidic hydrothermal field scenario. Further, we propose that crystallization could help overcoming cyclic oligomer formation that is a generally known bottleneck of prebiotic polymerization processes preventing further chain growth.
ER  -

SPONER, Judit E; Remi COULON; Michal OTYEPKA; Jiri SPONER; Alexander F SIEGLE; Oliver TRAPP; Katarzyna SLEPOKURA; Zbyněk ZDRÁHAL and Ondrej ŠEDO. Phosphoric acid salts of amino acids as a source of oligopeptides on the early Earth. \textit{COMMUNICATIONS CHEMISTRY}. ENGLAND: NATURE PORTFOLIO, 2024, vol.~7, No~1, p.~1-8. ISSN~2399-3669. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01264-6.

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