Bao, P, He, Y-Q, Li, G-X et al. (2 more authors) (2022) A thermodynamic chemical reaction network drove autocatalytic prebiotic peptides formation. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 324. pp. 102-116. ISSN 0016-7037
Abstract
The chemical reaction networks (CRNs), which led to the transition on early Earth from geochemistry to biochemistry remain unknown. We show that the simplest substances—bicarbonate, sulfite/sulfate, and ammonium—were converted to peptides in one geological setting from Sammox (sulfite/sulfate reduction coupled to anaerobic ammonium oxidation)-driven CRNs under mild hydrothermal conditions. Peptides comprise 15 proteinogenic amino acids, endowed Sammox-driven CRNs with autocatalysis. The peptides exhibit both forward and reverse catalysis, with the opposite catalytic impact in sulfite- and sulfate-fueled Sammox-driven CRNs, respectively, at both a variable temperature range and a fixed temperature, resulting in seesaw-like catalytic properties. The variation of substrates concentration and temperature, can influence the redox property of the system, may disrupt the redox homeostasis of Sammox-driven CRNs, therefore, the catalytic orientation of peptides changed due to the stimulation, to maintain system redox homeostasis. The seesaw-like catalytic characteristics of peptides is critical to achieving the sustainability and evolution of Sammox-driven CRNs by preferentially destroy non-functional peptides and preserve peptides with high substrate specificities and/or novel functions. Moreover, the peptides generated from sulfite-fueled Sammox-driven CRNs could catalyze both sulfite-fueled Sammox, and Anammox (nitrite reduction coupling with anaerobic ammonium oxidation) reactions. We propose that Sammox-driven CRNs were critical in the creation of life and that Sammox and Anammox are primordial energy conservation traits.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) |
Keywords: | Life origin; Chemical reaction networks; Autocatalytic peptides formation; Sulfur reduction; Ammonium oxidation; Homeostasis |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Earth Surface Science Institute (ESSI) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 26 May 2022 10:13 |
Last Modified: | 26 May 2022 10:13 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.gca.2022.03.004 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:187278 |
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