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. 2024 Apr 19;10(16):eadj7179.
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adj7179. Epub 2024 Apr 17.

Formation of extraterrestrial peptides and their derivatives

Serge A Krasnokutski  1 , Cornelia Jäger  1 , Thomas Henning  2 , Claude Geffroy  3 , Quentin B Remaury  3 , Pauline Poinot  3
Affiliations

Formation of extraterrestrial peptides and their derivatives

Serge A Krasnokutski et al. Sci Adv. .

Abstract

The formation of protein precursors, due to the condensation of atomic carbon under the low-temperature conditions of the molecular phases of the interstellar medium, opens alternative pathways for the origin of life. We perform peptide synthesis under conditions prevailing in space and provide a comprehensive analytic characterization of its products. The application of 13C allowed us to confirm the suggested pathway of peptide formation that proceeds due to the polymerization of aminoketene molecules that are formed in the C + CO + NH3 reaction. Here, we address the question of how the efficiency of peptide production is modified by the presence of water molecules. We demonstrate that although water slightly reduces the efficiency of polymerization of aminoketene, it does not prevent the formation of peptides.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.. UPLC analysis of the extract.
Ion signal on the masses of the specified molecules as a function of the retention time from ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the extract from room temperature residual (13C, CO, and NH3 reactants). The appearance times of ions from chemical standards are depicted by the dotted lines. The positive identification of respective molecules is indicated by green checkmarks, while a red cross stands for negative identification.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.. The impact of enzyme on the room temperature residual.
Relative ratio of ion signals after incubation of room temperature residual (13C, CO, and NH3 reactants) in the absence and in the presence of APM. Relative ratio calculated as (ion signal with APM − ion signal without APM)/ion signal without APM.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.. The IR absorption spectra of room temperature residuals.
Room temperature residuals are produced under identical conditions, with and without the presence of water. In both experiments, the amount of the limiting reactant, specifically C atoms, was equal. The upper spectrum was shifted by the absorbance scale for the clarity purpose.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.. Mass spectrum of the soluble extract from room temperature residual (C, CO, NH3, and H2O reactants).
The molecular structures assigned to the peaks are shown without Na+, which is added during the ionization.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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