Peptides En Route from Prebiotic to Biotic Catalysis

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61388963%3A_____%2F24%3A00587972" target="_blank" >RIV/61388963:_____/24:00587972 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00216208:11310/24:10489695

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00137" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00137</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00137" target="_blank" >10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00137</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Peptides En Route from Prebiotic to Biotic Catalysis

Original language description

Conspectus: In the quest to understand prebiotic catalysis, different molecular entities, mainly minerals, metal ions, organic cofactors, and ribozymes, have been implied as key players. Of these, inorganic and organic cofactors have gained attention for their ability to catalyze a wide array of reactions central to modern metabolism and frequently participate in these reactions within modern enzymes. Nevertheless, bridging the gap between prebiotic and modern metabolism remains a fundamental question in the origins of life. In this Account, peptides are investigated as a potential bridge linking prebiotic catalysis by minerals/cofactors to enzymes that dominate modern life's chemical reactions. Before ribosomal synthesis emerged, peptides of random sequences were plausible on early Earth. This was made possible by different sources of amino acid delivery and synthesis, as well as their condensation under a variety of conditions. Early peptides and proteins probably exhibited distinct compositions, enriched in small aliphatic and acidic residues. An increase in abundance of amino acids with larger side chains and canonical basic groups was most likely dependent on the emergence of their more challenging (bio)synthesis. Pressing questions thus arise: how did this composition influence the early peptide properties, and to what extent could they contribute to early metabolism? Recent research from our group and colleagues shows that highly acidic peptides/proteins comprising only the presumably early amino acids are in fact competent at secondary structure formation and even possess adaptive folding characteristics such as spontaneous refoldability and chaperone independence to achieve soluble structures. Moreover, we showed that highly acidic proteins of presumably early composition can still bind RNA by utilizing metal ions as cofactors to bridge carboxylate and phosphoester functional groups. And finally, ancient organic cofactors were shown to be capable of binding to sequences from amino acids considered prebiotically plausible, supporting their folding properties and providing functional groups, which would nominate them as catalytic hubs of great prebiotic relevance. These findings underscore the biochemical plausibility of an early peptide/protein world devoid of more complex amino acids yet collaborating with other catalytic species. Drawing from the mechanistic properties of protein-cofactor catalysis, it is speculated here that the early peptide/protein-cofactor ensemble could facilitate a similar range of chemical reactions, albeit with lower catalytic rates. This hypothesis invites a systematic experimental test. Nonetheless, this Account does not exclude other scenarios of prebiotic-to-biotic catalysis or prioritize any specific pathways of prebiotic syntheses. The objective is to examine peptide availability, composition, and functional potential among the various factors involved in the emergence of early life.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10608 - Biochemistry and molecular biology

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Accounts of Chemical Research

ISSN

0001-4842

e-ISSN

1520-4898

Volume of the periodical

57

Issue of the periodical within the volume

15

Country of publishing house

US - UNITED STATES

Number of pages

11

Pages from-to

2027-2037

UT code for WoS article

001272014500001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85199009198