Hydration of serine–metal cation complexes: implication for the role of water in the origin of homochirality on the Earth

Abstract

It may be taken for granted that the processes that occurred in water were of crucial importance for the origin of life. Therefore, it is quite likely that water was also important with respect to the origin of homochirality. Here, it is shown, using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, that the efficiency of hydration of homochiral serine-metal cation complexes is different from that of heterochiral serine-metal cation complexes. The differences in the efficiency of hydration of homo and heterochiral metal cation-amino acid complexes could lead to the amplification of formation of homochiral peptides in water solution from which life emerged.

Unusual gas‐phase hydration efficiency of magnesium–adenosine complex

“…Such a phenomenon is a relatively common process, and its efficiency depends on the product ion susceptibility to hydration. [23][24][25][26][27] As presented further, an unusually high hydration efficiency has been observed for the adenosine . It has to be stressed that, as described elsewhere, the hydration efficiency depends only on the collision gas flow rate, whereas the collision energy and selected precursor ion do not affect the hydration efficiency.…”

“…Water was present as an impurity in the collision gas and water attachment to the product ions was observed. Such a phenomenon is a relatively common process, and its efficiency depends on the product ion susceptibility to hydration 23–27 . As presented further, an unusually high hydration efficiency has been observed for the adenosine complex (ion [A r − H + Mg] + ).…”