Amino acid synthesis from an amorphous substance composed of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen

Miyakawa, Shin; Tamura, Hideki; Sawaoka, Akira; Kobayashi, Kensei

doi:10.1063/1.120617

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The term, "pseudo-replication", means that not the same but similar [GADV]-proteins are synthesized by [GADV]-protein catalysts through random assembly of [GADV]-amino acids. This hypothesis is favored over the RNA-world theory (Gilbert, 1986) because many prebiotic syntheses of simple amino acids (Miller, 1953;Harada and Fox, 1964;Miller and Orgel, 1973;Sakurai and Yanagawa, 1984;Miyakawa et al, 1998, Takano et al, 2001 and peptides (Yanagawa and Kojima, 1985;Ito et al, 1990;Imai et al, 1999a, b) have been demonstrated, while abiotic nucleotide syntheses and formation of phosphodiesters leading to RNA synthesis (Gesteland et al, 1999) are totally lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Catalytic Activities Of [GADV]-Peptides

Oba

Fukushima

Maruyama

et al. 2005

Orig Life Evol Biosph

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We have previously postulated a novel hypothesis for the origin of life, assuming that life on the earth originated from "[GADV]-protein world", not from the "RNA world" (see Ikehara's review, 2002). The [GADV]-protein world is constituted from peptides and proteins with random sequences of four amino acids (glycine [G], alanine [A], aspartic acid [D] and valine [V]), which accumulated by pseudo-replication of the [GADV]-proteins. To obtain evidence for the hypothesis, we produced [GADV]-peptides by repeated heat-drying of the amino acids for 30 cycles ([GADV]-P(30)) and examined whether the peptides have some catalytic activities or not. From the results, it was found that the [GADV]-P(30) can hydrolyze several kinds of chemical bonds in molecules, such as umbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside, glycine-p-nitroanilide and bovine serum albumin. This suggests that [GADV]-P(30) could play an important role in the accumulation of [GADV]-proteins through pseudo-replication, leading to the emergence of life. We further show that [GADV]-octapaptides with random sequences, but containing no cyclic compounds as diketepiperazines, have catalytic activity, hydrolyzing peptide bonds in a natural protein, bovine serum albumin. The catalytic activity of the octapeptides was much higher than the [GADV]-P(30) produced through repeated heat-drying treatments. These results also support the [GADV]-protein-world hypothesis of the origin of life (see Ikehara's review, 2002). Possible steps for the emergence of life on the primitive earth are presented.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Catalytic Activities Of [GADV]-Peptides

Oba

Fukushima

Maruyama

et al. 2005

Orig Life Evol Biosph

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“…Alternatively, in step d the acetyl group may migrate to a CH 3 -Sligand to form the methylthioester CH 3 -CO-SCH 3 , which subsequently detaches [75]. [24,78,79] [80][81][82]. For example, in the case of the reaction of an H 2 -CO-N 2 -H 2 O atmosphere with a spark discharge, the carbon yields of amino acids are 0.05 % and 0.9 % at H 2 /CO = 0 and H 2 /CO = 1, respectively [80].…”

Section: From Co To Bioorganic Moleculesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Inorganic Compounds in the Prebiotic Synthesis of Organic Molecules

Chen

2005

COC

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One popular model suggests that life on Earth originates from a prebiotic soup, which is the idea that a large amount of different elements spontaneously came together in a pool to form basic organic moleculars. These basic organic moleculars are believed to have then condensed and reacted to form more complex organic moleculars and then eventually formed the original life. In the process of chemical evolution, the conversion of inorganic compounds to small organic moleculars is the first and indispensable step for the origin of life. Scientists have designed many experiments that could provide evidence in support of the theory of the prebiotic soup. In these experiments, small moleculars of CO 2 , CO, CH 4 or CH 3 SH have ever been taken as the building blocks for the synthesis of organic molecules. When introducing H 2 S, N 2 , NH 3 et al., amino acids, nucleotides and other possible monomers, nonenzymatically condensing to form oligomeric products, could be synthesized. Meanwhile, pyrite, coprecipitated (Ni,Fe)S, Fe 3 O 4 as well as some other minerals might take part in the processes of selection, concentration and energy supplement, especially of the emergence of chirality preference in the extant amino acids and sugars in living organisms. Herein recent progress made in the research into the prebiotic soup theory of the origin of life is reviewed. Finally, after discussion of the possible existence of carbon nanotubes in primitive earth, their morphology similarity, affinity and selectivity with biology moleculars, it is proposed that carbon nanotubes might play a significant role in the origin of life.

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“…We here propose an exobiology experiment in earth orbit (EEEO), where some ice mixtures of simple compound are exposed to cosmic ray and/or solar radiation. The target compounds which we would like to detect in ices after exposure are not simple intermediates for chemical evolution such as HCN and HCHO, but amino acid precursors which give amino acids after hydrolysis since complex organics containing amino acid precursors can be formed quite easily and effectively from simple compounds in the laboratory simulation without using HCN nor HCHO as intermediates (Kobayashi et al, 1998b, c;Miyakawa et al, 1998).…”

Section: Concept Of Apparatus Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abiotic Formation of Bioorganic Compounds in Space. Preliminary Experiments on Ground and Future Exobiology Experiments in Space.

et al. 1998

Self Cite

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Simulation experiments on ground have shown that "amino acid precursors", which give amino acids after acid-hydrolysis, can be formed when an ice mixture simulating ice mantles of interstellar dust particles (ISDs) is irradiated with high energy particles or UV light. It is strongly suggested that such bioorganic compounds were delivered by comets for the first biosphere on the Earth. It is of great interest to confirme this hypothesis in actual space conditions, such as in an exposed facility of JEM. Fundamental designs for such exobiology experiments in earth orbit (EEEO) will be discussed.

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Amino acid synthesis from an amorphous substance composed of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen

Cited by 17 publications

References 13 publications

Catalytic Activities Of [GADV]-Peptides

Catalytic Activities Of [GADV]-Peptides

The Role of Inorganic Compounds in the Prebiotic Synthesis of Organic Molecules

Abiotic Formation of Bioorganic Compounds in Space. Preliminary Experiments on Ground and Future Exobiology Experiments in Space.

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