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Abstract
The evolution of coenzymes, or their impact on the origin of life, is fundamental for understanding our own existence. Having established reasonable hypotheses about the emergence of prebiotic chemical building blocks, which were probably created under palaeogeochemical conditions, and surmising that these smaller compounds must have become integrated to afford complex macromolecules such as RNA, the question of coenzyme origin and its relation to the evolution of functional biochemistry should gain new impetus. Many coenzymes have a simple chemical structure and are often nucleotide-derived, which suggests that they may have coexisted with the emergence of RNA and may have played a pivotal role in early metabolism. Based on current theories of prebiotic evolution, which attempt to explain the emergence of privileged organic building blocks, this Review discusses plausible hypotheses on the prebiotic formation of key elements within selected extant coenzymes. In combination with prebiotic RNA, coenzymes may have dramatically broadened early protometabolic networks and the catalytic scope of RNA during the evolution of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kirschning
- Institut für Organische Chemie und Biomolekulares Wirkstoffzentrum (BMWZ)Leibniz Universität HannoverSchneiderberg 1B30167HannoverGermany
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Moerman E, Furman D, Wales DJ. Development of ReaxFF Reactive Force Field for Aqueous Iron-Sulfur Clusters with Applications to Stability and Reactivity in Water. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:1204-1214. [PMID: 33617718 PMCID: PMC8028049 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c01292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Iron-sulfur clusters serve unique roles in biochemistry, geochemistry, and renewable energy technologies. However, a full theoretical understanding of their structures and properties is still lacking. To facilitate large-scale reactive molecular dynamics simulations of iron-sulfur clusters in aqueous environments, a ReaxFF reactive force field is developed, based on an extensive set of quantum chemical calculations. This force field compares favorably with the reference calculations on gas-phase species and significantly improves on a previous ReaxFF parametrization. We employ the new potential to study the stability and reactivity of iron-sulfur clusters in explicit water with constant-temperature reactive molecular dynamics. The aqueous species exhibit a dynamic, temperature-dependent behavior, in good agreement with previous much more costly ab initio simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny Moerman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road,Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - David Furman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road,Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom.,Division of Chemistry, NRCN, P.O. Box 9001, Beer-Sheva 84190, Israel
| | - David J Wales
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road,Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
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Jia TZ, Caudan M, Mamajanov I. Origin of Species before Origin of Life: The Role of Speciation in Chemical Evolution. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:154. [PMID: 33671365 PMCID: PMC7922636 DOI: 10.3390/life11020154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Speciation, an evolutionary process by which new species form, is ultimately responsible for the incredible biodiversity that we observe on Earth every day. Such biodiversity is one of the critical features which contributes to the survivability of biospheres and modern life. While speciation and biodiversity have been amply studied in organismic evolution and modern life, it has not yet been applied to a great extent to understanding the evolutionary dynamics of primitive life. In particular, one unanswered question is at what point in the history of life did speciation as a phenomenon emerge in the first place. Here, we discuss the mechanisms by which speciation could have occurred before the origins of life in the context of chemical evolution. Specifically, we discuss that primitive compartments formed before the emergence of the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) could have provided a mechanism by which primitive chemical systems underwent speciation. In particular, we introduce a variety of primitive compartment structures, and associated functions, that may have plausibly been present on early Earth, followed by examples of both discriminate and indiscriminate speciation affected by primitive modes of compartmentalization. Finally, we discuss modern technologies, in particular, droplet microfluidics, that can be applied to studying speciation phenomena in the laboratory over short timescales. We hope that this discussion highlights the current areas of need in further studies on primitive speciation phenomena while simultaneously proposing directions as important areas of study to the origins of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Z. Jia
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan;
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, 1001 4th Ave., Suite 3201, Seattle, WA 98154, USA
| | - Melina Caudan
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan;
| | - Irena Mamajanov
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan;
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Turnšek J, Brunson JK, Viedma MDPM, Deerinck TJ, Horák A, Oborník M, Bielinski VA, Allen AE. Proximity proteomics in a marine diatom reveals a putative cell surface-to-chloroplast iron trafficking pathway. eLife 2021; 10:e52770. [PMID: 33591270 PMCID: PMC7972479 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is a biochemically critical metal cofactor in enzymes involved in photosynthesis, cellular respiration, nitrate assimilation, nitrogen fixation, and reactive oxygen species defense. Marine microeukaryotes have evolved a phytotransferrin-based iron uptake system to cope with iron scarcity, a major factor limiting primary productivity in the global ocean. Diatom phytotransferrin is endocytosed; however, proteins downstream of this environmentally ubiquitous iron receptor are unknown. We applied engineered ascorbate peroxidase APEX2-based subcellular proteomics to catalog proximal proteins of phytotransferrin in the model marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Proteins encoded by poorly characterized iron-sensitive genes were identified including three that are expressed from a chromosomal gene cluster. Two of them showed unambiguous colocalization with phytotransferrin adjacent to the chloroplast. Further phylogenetic, domain, and biochemical analyses suggest their involvement in intracellular iron processing. Proximity proteomics holds enormous potential to glean new insights into iron acquisition pathways and beyond in these evolutionarily, ecologically, and biotechnologically important microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jernej Turnšek
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard UniversityBostonUnited States
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
- Center for Research in Biological Systems, University of California San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
- Microbial and Environmental Genomics, J. Craig Venter InstituteLa JollaUnited States
| | - John K Brunson
- Microbial and Environmental Genomics, J. Craig Venter InstituteLa JollaUnited States
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
| | | | - Thomas J Deerinck
- National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
| | - Aleš Horák
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of ParasitologyČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of ScienceČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | - Miroslav Oborník
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of ParasitologyČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of ScienceČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | - Vincent A Bielinski
- Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter InstituteLa JollaUnited States
| | - Andrew Ellis Allen
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
- Microbial and Environmental Genomics, J. Craig Venter InstituteLa JollaUnited States
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Bonfio C. The curious case of peptide-coordinated iron-sulfur clusters: prebiotic and biomimetic insights. Dalton Trans 2021; 50:801-807. [PMID: 33351009 DOI: 10.1039/d0dt03947k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Iron-sulfur clusters are among the most ancient biological cofactors and are thought to have had an ancient role in mediating the chemical reactions that led to life. Two different, yet complementary approaches, based on bioinorganic chemistry and prebiotic chemistry, have already provided important clues for the formation and activity of biomimetic iron-sulfur analogues in aqueous solution. This frontier article discusses the efforts spent in the last 50 years in the context of peptide-coordinated iron-sulfur clusters, with a particular emphasis on insightful contributions from recent prebiotic chemistry research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Bonfio
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
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57
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Foden CS, Islam S, Fernández-García C, Maugeri L, Sheppard TD, Powner MW. Prebiotic synthesis of cysteine peptides that catalyze peptide ligation in neutral water. Science 2020; 370:865-869. [PMID: 33184216 DOI: 10.1126/science.abd5680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Peptide biosynthesis is performed by ribosomes and several other classes of enzymes, but a simple chemical synthesis may have created the first peptides at the origins of life. α-Aminonitriles-prebiotic α-amino acid precursors-are generally produced by Strecker reactions. However, cysteine's aminothiol is incompatible with nitriles. Consequently, cysteine nitrile is not stable, and cysteine has been proposed to be a product of evolution, not prebiotic chemistry. We now report a high-yielding, prebiotic synthesis of cysteine peptides. Our biomimetic pathway converts serine to cysteine by nitrile-activated dehydroalanine synthesis. We also demonstrate that N-acylcysteines catalyze peptide ligation, directly coupling kinetically stable-but energy-rich-α-amidonitriles to proteinogenic amines. This rare example of selective and efficient organocatalysis in water implicates cysteine as both catalyst and precursor in prebiotic peptide synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum S Foden
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Saidul Islam
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | | | - Leonardo Maugeri
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Tom D Sheppard
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Matthew W Powner
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK.
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58
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Kirschning A. The coenzyme/protein pair and the molecular evolution of life. Nat Prod Rep 2020; 38:993-1010. [PMID: 33206101 DOI: 10.1039/d0np00037j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2020What was first? Coenzymes or proteins? These questions are archetypal examples of causal circularity in living systems. Classically, this "chicken-and-egg" problem was discussed for the macromolecules RNA, DNA and proteins. This report focuses on coenzymes and cofactors and discusses the coenzyme/protein pair as another example of causal circularity in life. Reflections on the origin of life and hypotheses on possible prebiotic worlds led to the current notion that RNA was the first macromolecule, long before functional proteins and hence DNA. So these causal circularities of living systems were solved by a time travel into the past. To tackle the "chicken-and-egg" problem of the protein-coenzyme pair, this report addresses this problem by looking for clues (a) in the first hypothetical biotic life forms such as protoviroids and the last unified common ancestor (LUCA) and (b) in considerations and evidence of the possible prebiotic production of amino acids and coenzymes before life arose. According to these considerations, coenzymes and cofactors can be regarded as very old molecular players in the origin and evolution of life, and at least some of them developed independently of α-amino acids, which here are evolutionarily synonymous with proteins. Discussions on "chicken-and-egg" problems open further doors to the understanding of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kirschning
- Institut für Organische Chemie und Zentrum für Biomolekulare Wirkstoffchemie (BMWZ), Leibniz Universität Hannover, Schneiderberg 1B, D-30167 Hannover, Germany.
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59
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kirschning
- Institut für Organische Chemie und Biomolekulares Wirkstoffzentrum (BMWZ) Leibniz Universität Hannover Schneiderberg 1B 30167 Hannover Deutschland
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60
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Bonfio C, Russell DA, Green NJ, Mariani A, Sutherland JD. Activation chemistry drives the emergence of functionalised protocells. Chem Sci 2020; 11:10688-10697. [PMID: 34094321 PMCID: PMC8162433 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc04506c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The complexity of the simplest conceivable cell suggests that the chemistry of prebiotic mixtures needs to be explored to understand the intricate network of prebiotic reactions that led to the emergence of life. Early cells probably relied upon compatible and interconnected chemistries to link RNA, peptides and membranes. Here we show that several types of vesicles, composed of prebiotically plausible mixtures of amphiphiles, spontaneously form and sustain the methyl isocyanide-mediated activation of amino acids, peptides and nucleotides. Activation chemistry also drives the advantageous conversion of reactive monoacylglycerol phosphates into inert cyclophospholipids, thus supporting their potential role as major constituents of protocells. Moreover, activation of prebiotic building blocks within fatty acid-based vesicles yields lipidated species capable of localising to and functionalising primitive membranes. Our findings describe a potentially prebiotic scenario in which the components of primitive cells undergo activation and provide new species that might have enabled an increase in the functionality of protocells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Bonfio
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue Cambridge CB2 0QH UK
| | - David A Russell
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue Cambridge CB2 0QH UK
| | - Nicholas J Green
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue Cambridge CB2 0QH UK
| | - Angelica Mariani
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue Cambridge CB2 0QH UK
| | - John D Sutherland
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue Cambridge CB2 0QH UK
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61
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Protoenzymes: The Case of Hyperbranched Polymer-Scaffolded ZnS Nanocrystals. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:life10080150. [PMID: 32823487 PMCID: PMC7460482 DOI: 10.3390/life10080150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Enzymes are biological catalysts that are comprised of small-molecule, metal, or cluster catalysts augmented by biopolymeric scaffolds. It is conceivable that early in chemical evolution, ancestral enzymes opted for simpler, easier to assemble scaffolds. Herein, we describe such possible protoenzymes: hyperbranched polymer-scaffolded metal-sulfide nanocrystals. Hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (HyPEI) and glycerol citrate polymer-supported ZnS nanocrystals (NCs) are formed in a simple process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses of HyPEI-supported NCs reveal spherical particles with an average size of 10 nm that undergo only a modest aggregation over a 14-day incubation. The polymer-supported ZnS NCs are shown to possess a high photocatalytic activity in an eosin B photodegradation assay, making them an attractive model for the study of the origin of life under the “Zn world” theory dominated by a photocatalytic proto-metabolic redox reaction network. The catalyst, however, could be easily adapted to apply broadly to different protoenzymatic systems.
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62
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Gao Z, Carames-Mendez P, Xia D, Pask CM, McGowan PC, Bingham PA, Scrimshire A, Tronci G, Thornton PD. The facile and additive-free synthesis of a cell-friendly iron(iii)-glutathione complex. Dalton Trans 2020; 49:10574-10579. [PMID: 32691805 DOI: 10.1039/d0dt02331k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The straightfoward creation of an unreported glutathione-stabilised iron(iii) complex is disclosed. In contrast to previous reports, glutathione was shown to coordinate and stabilise iron directly under physiological conditions in the absence of additional sulfur containing molecules, such as sodium sulfide. The complex was extensively characterised; the molecular geometry was determined as two inequivalent octahedra, approximately 2/3 of which are slightly distorted towards more tetrahedral in character, with the remaining 1/3 more regularly octahedral. The dispersion of the iron(iii)-glutathione complex in aqueous solution yielded particles of 255 ± 4 nm in diameter that enhanced the growth and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells over 7 days, and inhibited the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-13. Consequently, the unprecedented glutathione-stabilised iron(iii) complex disclosed has potential use as a simple-to-prepare growth factor for inclusion within cell culture media, and is an excellent candidate as a therapeutic for the treatment of metalloproteinase-13-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Gao
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. and Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Group, School of Dentistry, St. James's University Hospital, University of Leeds, UK.
| | | | - Dong Xia
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | | | | | - Paul A Bingham
- Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield, UK
| | - Alex Scrimshire
- Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield, UK
| | - Giuseppe Tronci
- Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Group, School of Dentistry, St. James's University Hospital, University of Leeds, UK. and Clothworkers' Centre for Textile Materials Innovation for Healthcare, School of Design, University of Leeds, UK
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63
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Nejdl L, Zemankova K, Havlikova M, Buresova M, Hynek D, Xhaxhiu K, Mravec F, Matouskova M, Adam V, Ferus M, Kapus J, Vaculovicova M. UV-Induced Nanoparticles-Formation, Properties and Their Potential Role in Origin of Life. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10081529. [PMID: 32759824 PMCID: PMC7466688 DOI: 10.3390/nano10081529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Inorganic nanoparticles might have played a vital role in the transition from inorganic chemistry to self-sustaining living systems. Such transition may have been triggered or controlled by processes requiring not only versatile catalysts but also suitable reaction surfaces. Here, experimental results showing that multicolor quantum dots might have been able to participate as catalysts in several specific and nonspecific reactions, relevant to the prebiotic chemistry are demonstrated. A very fast and easy UV-induced formation of ZnCd quantum dots (QDs) with a quantum yield of up to 47% was shown to occur 5 min after UV exposure of the solution containing Zn(II) and Cd(II) in the presence of a thiol capping agent. In addition to QDs formation, xanthine activity was observed in the solution. The role of solar radiation to induce ZnCd QDs formation was replicated during a stratospheric balloon flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Nejdl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (L.N.); (K.Z.); (M.B.); (D.H.); (M.M.); (V.A.)
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristyna Zemankova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (L.N.); (K.Z.); (M.B.); (D.H.); (M.M.); (V.A.)
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Havlikova
- Materials Research Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (M.H.); (F.M.)
| | - Michaela Buresova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (L.N.); (K.Z.); (M.B.); (D.H.); (M.M.); (V.A.)
| | - David Hynek
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (L.N.); (K.Z.); (M.B.); (D.H.); (M.M.); (V.A.)
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kledi Xhaxhiu
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Blv. Zog I, Nr. 2/1, 1001 Tirana, Albania;
| | - Filip Mravec
- Materials Research Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 118, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (M.H.); (F.M.)
| | - Martina Matouskova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (L.N.); (K.Z.); (M.B.); (D.H.); (M.M.); (V.A.)
| | - Vojtech Adam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (L.N.); (K.Z.); (M.B.); (D.H.); (M.M.); (V.A.)
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Ferus
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences Dolejskova 3, CZ-182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic;
| | - Jakub Kapus
- Slovak Organisation for Space Activities, Zamocka 5, 811 03 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Marketa Vaculovicova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; (L.N.); (K.Z.); (M.B.); (D.H.); (M.M.); (V.A.)
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-5-4513-3350; Fax: +420-5-4521-2044
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Muchowska KB, Varma SJ, Moran J. Nonenzymatic Metabolic Reactions and Life's Origins. Chem Rev 2020; 120:7708-7744. [PMID: 32687326 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prebiotic chemistry aims to explain how the biochemistry of life as we know it came to be. Most efforts in this area have focused on provisioning compounds of importance to life by multistep synthetic routes that do not resemble biochemistry. However, gaining insight into why core metabolism uses the molecules, reactions, pathways, and overall organization that it does requires us to consider molecules not only as synthetic end goals. Equally important are the dynamic processes that build them up and break them down. This perspective has led many researchers to the hypothesis that the first stage of the origin of life began with the onset of a primitive nonenzymatic version of metabolism, initially catalyzed by naturally occurring minerals and metal ions. This view of life's origins has come to be known as "metabolism first". Continuity with modern metabolism would require a primitive version of metabolism to build and break down ketoacids, sugars, amino acids, and ribonucleotides in much the same way as the pathways that do it today. This review discusses metabolic pathways of relevance to the origin of life in a manner accessible to chemists, and summarizes experiments suggesting several pathways might have their roots in prebiotic chemistry. Finally, key remaining milestones for the protometabolic hypothesis are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sreejith J Varma
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, ISIS UMR 7006, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Joseph Moran
- University of Strasbourg, CNRS, ISIS UMR 7006, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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Gospodinov A, Kunnev D. Universal Codons with Enrichment from GC to AU Nucleotide Composition Reveal a Chronological Assignment from Early to Late Along with LUCA Formation. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:life10060081. [PMID: 32516985 PMCID: PMC7345086 DOI: 10.3390/life10060081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of a primitive genetic code should be considered the most essential event during the origin of life. Almost a complete set of codons (as we know them) should have been established relatively early during the evolution of the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) from which all known organisms descended. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the driving forces and chronology of the evolution of the genetic code; however, none is commonly accepted. In the current paper, we explore the features of the genetic code that, in our view, reflect the mechanism and the chronological order of the origin of the genetic code. Our hypothesis postulates that the primordial RNA was mostly GC-rich, and this bias was reflected in the order of amino acid codon assignment. If we arrange the codons and their corresponding amino acids from GC-rich to AU-rich, we find that: 1. The amino acids encoded by GC-rich codons (Ala, Gly, Arg, and Pro) are those that contribute the most to the interactions with RNA (if incorporated into short peptides). 2. This order correlates with the addition of novel functions necessary for the evolution from simple to longer folded peptides. 3. The overlay of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) to the amino acid order produces a distinctive zonal distribution for class I and class II suggesting an interdependent origin. These correlations could be explained by the active role of the bridge peptide (BP), which we proposed earlier in the evolution of the genetic code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastas Gospodinov
- Roumen Tsanev Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str. 21, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria;
| | - Dimiter Kunnev
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
- Correspondence:
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Shalayel I, Youssef-Saliba S, Vazart F, Ceccarelli C, Bridoux M, Vallée Y. Cysteine Chemistry in Connection with Abiogenesis. European J Org Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.202000089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fanny Vazart
- CNRS, IPAG; Univ. Grenoble Alpes; Grenoble France
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Lin R, Wang Y, Li X, Liu Y, Zhao Y. pH-Dependent Adsorption of Peptides on Montmorillonite for Resisting UV Irradiation. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:life10040045. [PMID: 32325947 PMCID: PMC7235719 DOI: 10.3390/life10040045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is considered an energy source for the prebiotic chemical synthesis of life's building blocks. However, it also results in photodegradation of biology-related organic compounds on early Earth. Thus, it is important to find a process to protect these compounds from decomposition by UV irradiation. Herein, pH effects on both the adsorption of peptides on montmorillonite (MMT) and the abilities of peptides to resist UV irradiation due to this adsorption were systematically studied. We found that montmorillonite (MMT) can adsorb peptides effectively under acidic conditions, while MMT-adsorbed peptides can be released under basic conditions. Peptide adsorption is positively correlated with the length of the peptide chains. MMT's adsorption of peptides and MMT-adsorbed peptide desorption are both rapid-equilibrium, and it takes less than 30 min to reach the equilibrium in both cases. Furthermore, compared to free peptides, MMT-adsorbed peptides under acidic conditions are well protected from UV degradation even after prolonged irradiation. These results indicate amino acid/peptides are able to concentrate from aqueous solution by MMT adsorption under low-pH conditions (concentration step). The MMT-adsorbed peptides survive under UV irradiation among other unprotected species (storage step). Then, the MMT-adsorbed peptides can be released to the aqueous solution if the environment becomes more basic (releasing step), and these free peptides are ready for polymerization to polypeptides. Hence, a plausible prebiotic concentration-storage-release cycle of amino acids/peptides for further polypeptide synthesis is established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongcan Lin
- Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; (R.L.); (Y.W.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yueqiao Wang
- Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; (R.L.); (Y.W.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Xin Li
- Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; (R.L.); (Y.W.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yan Liu
- Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; (R.L.); (Y.W.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Yufen Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; (R.L.); (Y.W.); (X.L.); (Y.Z.)
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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68
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A Constructive Way to Think about Different Hydrothermal Environments for the Origins of Life. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:life10040036. [PMID: 32283673 PMCID: PMC7235985 DOI: 10.3390/life10040036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The question of where life originated has been contentious for a very long time. Scientists have invoked many environments to address this question. Often, we find ourselves beholden to a location, especially if we think life originated once and then evolved into the myriad forms we now know today. In this brief commentary, we wish to lay out the following understanding: hydrothermal environments are energetically robust locations for the origins and early evolution of life as we know it. Two environments typify hydrothermal conditions, hydrothermal fields on dry land and submarine hydrothermal vents. If life originated only once, then we must choose between these two environments; however, there is no reason to assume life emerged only once. We conclude with the idea that rather than having an “either or” mind set about the origin of life a “yes and” mind set might be a better paradigm with which to problem solve within this field. Finally, we shall discuss further research with regards to both environments.
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69
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Nunn AVW, Guy GW, Botchway SW, Bell JD. From sunscreens to medicines: Can a dissipation hypothesis explain the beneficial aspects of many plant compounds? Phytother Res 2020; 34:1868-1888. [PMID: 32166791 PMCID: PMC7496984 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.6654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Medicine has utilised plant‐based treatments for millennia, but precisely how they work is unclear. One approach is to use a thermodynamic viewpoint that life arose by dissipating geothermal and/or solar potential. Hence, the ability to dissipate energy to maintain homeostasis is a fundamental principle in all life, which can be viewed as an accretion system where layers of complexity have built upon core abiotic molecules. Many of these compounds are chromophoric and are now involved in multiple pathways. Plants have further evolved a plethora of chromophoric compounds that can not only act as sunscreens and redox modifiers, but also have now become integrated into a generalised stress adaptive system. This could be an extension of the dissipative process. In animals, many of these compounds are hormetic, modulating mitochondria and calcium signalling. They can also display anti‐pathogen effects. They could therefore modulate bioenergetics across all life due to the conserved electron transport chain and proton gradient. In this review paper, we focus on well‐described medicinal compounds, such as salicylic acid and cannabidiol and suggest, at least in animals, their activity reflects their evolved function in plants in relation to stress adaptation, which itself evolved to maintain dissipative homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair V W Nunn
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK
| | | | - Stanley W Botchway
- STFC, UKRI & Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Jimmy D Bell
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK
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70
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Frenkel-Pinter M, Samanta M, Ashkenasy G, Leman LJ. Prebiotic Peptides: Molecular Hubs in the Origin of Life. Chem Rev 2020; 120:4707-4765. [PMID: 32101414 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The fundamental roles that peptides and proteins play in today's biology makes it almost indisputable that peptides were key players in the origin of life. Insofar as it is appropriate to extrapolate back from extant biology to the prebiotic world, one must acknowledge the critical importance that interconnected molecular networks, likely with peptides as key components, would have played in life's origin. In this review, we summarize chemical processes involving peptides that could have contributed to early chemical evolution, with an emphasis on molecular interactions between peptides and other classes of organic molecules. We first summarize mechanisms by which amino acids and similar building blocks could have been produced and elaborated into proto-peptides. Next, non-covalent interactions of peptides with other peptides as well as with nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates, metal ions, and aromatic molecules are discussed in relation to the possible roles of such interactions in chemical evolution of structure and function. Finally, we describe research involving structural alternatives to peptides and covalent adducts between amino acids/peptides and other classes of molecules. We propose that ample future breakthroughs in origin-of-life chemistry will stem from investigations of interconnected chemical systems in which synergistic interactions between different classes of molecules emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moran Frenkel-Pinter
- NSF/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, https://centerforchemicalevolution.com/.,School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Mousumi Samanta
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Gonen Ashkenasy
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Luke J Leman
- NSF/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, https://centerforchemicalevolution.com/.,Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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71
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Sanden SA, Yi R, Hara M, McGlynn SE. Simultaneous synthesis of thioesters and iron–sulfur clusters in water: two universal components of energy metabolism. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:11989-11992. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cc04078a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Thioesters and peptide ligated [Fe–S] clusters can be synthesized simultaneously from thioacetic acid in an aqueous one-pot reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian A. Sanden
- Earth Life Science Institute
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Meguro
- Japan
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology
| | - Ruiqin Yi
- Earth Life Science Institute
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Meguro
- Japan
| | - Masahiko Hara
- Earth Life Science Institute
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Meguro
- Japan
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology
| | - Shawn E. McGlynn
- Earth Life Science Institute
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Meguro
- Japan
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science
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72
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Ahmed N, Tripathi S, Sarkar A, Ansari KU, Das C, Prajesh N, Horike S, Boomishankar R, Shanmugam M. Chiral tetranuclear copper( ii) complexes: synthesis, optical and magnetic properties. NEW J CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/d0nj02856h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The chiral tetranuclear Cu(ii) cubane complexes with the general molecular formula [Cu4(R-L1)4] (R-1) and [Cu4(S-L1)4] (S-1) exhibit ferromagnetic exchange coupling, which is in contrast to the literature reports. This is corroborated by theoretical calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naushad Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Mumbai-400076
- India
| | - Shalini Tripathi
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Mumbai-400076
- India
| | - Arup Sarkar
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Mumbai-400076
- India
| | - Kamal Uddin Ansari
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Mumbai-400076
- India
| | - Chinmoy Das
- AIST-Kyoto University Chemical Energy Materials Open Innovation Laboratory (ChEM-OIL)
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
- Yoshida-Honmachi
- Kyoto 606-8501
- Japan
| | - Neetu Prajesh
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)
- Pune, Dr Homi Bhabha Road
- Pune-411008
- India
| | - Satoshi Horike
- AIST-Kyoto University Chemical Energy Materials Open Innovation Laboratory (ChEM-OIL)
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
- Yoshida-Honmachi
- Kyoto 606-8501
- Japan
| | - Ramamoorthy Boomishankar
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)
- Pune, Dr Homi Bhabha Road
- Pune-411008
- India
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73
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Vasiliadou R, Dimov N, Szita N, Jordan SF, Lane N. Possible mechanisms of CO 2 reduction by H 2 via prebiotic vectorial electrochemistry. Interface Focus 2019; 9:20190073. [PMID: 31641439 PMCID: PMC6802132 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2019.0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Methanogens are putatively ancestral autotrophs that reduce CO2 with H2 to form biomass using a membrane-bound, proton-motive Fe(Ni)S protein called the energy-converting hydrogenase (Ech). At the origin of life, geologically sustained H+ gradients across inorganic barriers containing Fe(Ni)S minerals could theoretically have driven CO2 reduction by H2 through vectorial chemistry in a similar way to Ech. pH modulation of the redox potentials of H2, CO2 and Fe(Ni)S minerals could in principle enable an otherwise endergonic reaction. Here, we analyse whether vectorial electrochemistry can facilitate the reduction of CO2 by H2 under alkaline hydrothermal conditions using a microfluidic reactor. We present pilot data showing that steep pH gradients of approximately 5 pH units can be sustained over greater than 5 h across Fe(Ni)S barriers, with H+-flux across the barrier about two million-fold faster than OH--flux. This high flux produces a calculated 3-pH unit-gradient (equating to 180 mV) across single approximately 25-nm Fe(Ni)S nanocrystals, which is close to that required to reduce CO2. However, the poor solubility of H2 at atmospheric pressure limits CO2 reduction by H2, explaining why organic synthesis has so far proved elusive in our reactor. Higher H2 concentration will be needed in future to facilitate CO2 reduction through prebiotic vectorial electrochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Vasiliadou
- Centre for Life's Origin and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nikolay Dimov
- School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK
| | - Nicolas Szita
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Sean F. Jordan
- Centre for Life's Origin and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nick Lane
- Centre for Life's Origin and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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74
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Szilagyi RK, Hanscam R, Shepard EM, McGlynn SE. Natural selection based on coordination chemistry: computational assessment of [4Fe-4S]-maquettes with non-coded amino acids. Interface Focus 2019; 9:20190071. [PMID: 31641437 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2019.0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cysteine is the only coded amino acid in biology that contains a thiol functional group. Deprotonated thiolate is essential for anchoring iron-sulfur ([Fe-S]) clusters, as prosthetic groups to the protein matrix. [Fe-S] metalloproteins and metalloenzymes are involved in biological electron transfer, radical chemistry, small molecule activation and signalling. These are key metabolic and regulatory processes that would likely have been present in the earliest organisms. In the context of emergence of life theories, the selection and evolution of the cysteine-specific R-CH2-SH side chain is a fascinating question to confront. We undertook a computational [4Fe-4S]-maquette modelling approach to evaluate how side chain length can influence [Fe-S] cluster binding and stability in short 7-mer and long 16-mer peptides, which contained either thioglycine, cysteine or homocysteine. Force field-based molecular dynamics simulations for [4Fe-4S] cluster nest formation were supplemented with density functional theory calculations of a ligand-exchange reaction between a preassembled cluster and the peptide. Secondary structure analysis revealed that peptides with cysteine are found with greater frequency nested to bind preformed [4Fe-4S] clusters. Additionally, the presence of the single methylene group in cysteine ligands mitigates the steric bulk, maintains the H-bonding and dipole network, and provides covalent Fe-S(thiolate) bonds that together create the optimal electronic and geometric structural conditions for [4Fe-4S] cluster binding compared to thioglycine or homocysteine ligands. Our theoretical work forms an experimentally testable hypothesis of the natural selection of cysteine through coordination chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert K Szilagyi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Rebecca Hanscam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Eric M Shepard
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Shawn E McGlynn
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.,Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA 98154, USA.,Biofunctional Catalyst Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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75
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Radical S-adenosylmethionine maquette chemistry: Cx3Cx2C peptide coordinated redox active [4Fe–4S] clusters. J Biol Inorg Chem 2019; 24:793-807. [DOI: 10.1007/s00775-019-01708-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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76
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Saha R, Chen IA. Effect of UV Radiation on Fluorescent RNA Aptamers' Functional and Templating Ability. Chembiochem 2019; 20:2609-2617. [PMID: 31125512 PMCID: PMC6899979 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation was likely to be an important selection pressure during the origin of life. RNA is believed to have been central to the origin of life and might form the basis for simple synthetic cells. Although photodamage of DNA has been extensively studied, photodamage is highly dependent on local molecular context, and damage to functional RNAs has been relatively under‐studied. We irradiated two fluorescent RNA aptamers and monitored the loss of activity, folding, and the kinetics of lesion accumulation. The loss of activity differed depending on the aptamer, with the Spinach2 aptamer retaining substantial activity after long exposure times. The binding pocket was particularly susceptible to damage, and melting of the duplex regions increased susceptibility; this is consistent with the view that duplex formation is protective. At the same time, susceptibility varied greatly depending on context, thus emphasizing the importance of studying many different RNAs to understand UV hardiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranajay Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Irene A Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.,Program in Biomolecular Sciences and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
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77
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Bai Y, Chen T, Happe T, Lu Y, Sawyer A. Iron-sulphur cluster biogenesis via the SUF pathway. Metallomics 2019; 10:1038-1052. [PMID: 30019043 DOI: 10.1039/c8mt00150b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Iron-sulphur (Fe-S) clusters are versatile cofactors, which are essential for key metabolic processes in cells, such as respiration and photosynthesis, and which may have also played a crucial role in establishing life on Earth. They can be found in almost all living organisms, from unicellular prokaryotes and archaea to multicellular animals and plants, and exist in diverse forms. This review focuses on the most ancient Fe-S cluster assembly system, the sulphur utilization factor (SUF) mechanism, which is crucial in bacteria for cell survival under stress conditions such as oxidation and iron starvation, and which is also present in the chloroplasts of green microalgae and plants, where it is responsible for plastidial Fe-S protein maturation. We explain the SUF Fe-S cluster assembly process, the proteins involved, their regulation and provide evolutionary insights. We specifically focus on examples from Fe-S cluster synthesis in the model organisms Escherichia coli and Arabidopsis thaliana and discuss in an in vivo context the assembly of the [FeFe]-hydrogenase H-cluster from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Bai
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
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78
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Leisinger F, Burn R, Meury M, Lukat P, Seebeck FP. Structural and Mechanistic Basis for Anaerobic Ergothioneine Biosynthesis. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:6906-6914. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b12596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Florian Leisinger
- Department for Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1002, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Reto Burn
- Department for Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1002, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Meury
- Department for Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1002, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peer Lukat
- Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Florian P. Seebeck
- Department for Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1002, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
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79
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Dalai P, Sahai N. Mineral–Lipid Interactions in the Origins of Life. Trends Biochem Sci 2019; 44:331-341. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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80
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Understanding Factors that Control the Structural (Dis)Assembly of Sulphur-Bridged Bimetallic Sites. INORGANICS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/inorganics7040042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Bimetallic structures of the general type [M2(µ-S)2] are omnipresent in nature, for biological function [M2(µ-S)2] sites interconvert between electronically distinct, but isostructural, forms. Different from structure-function relationships, the current understanding of the mechanism of formation and persistence of [M2(µ-S)2] sites is poorly developed. This work reports on bimetallic model compounds of nickel that interconvert between functional structures [Ni2(µ-S)2]+/2+ and isomeric congeners [2{κ-S–Ni}]2+/+, S = Aryl-S−, in which the nickel ions are geometrically independent. Interconversion of the two sets of structures was studied quantitatively by UV–VIS absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Assembly of the [Ni2(µ-S)2]+ core from [2{κ-S–Ni}]+ is thermodynamically and kinetically highly preferred over the disassembly of [Ni2(µ-S)2]2+ into [2{κ-S–Ni}]2+. Labile Ni-η2/3-bonding to aromatic π-systems of the primary thiophenol ligand is critical for modeling (dis)assembly processes. A phosphine coligand mimics the role of anionic donors present in natural sites that saturate metal coordination. Three parameters have been identified as critical for structure formation and persistence. These are, first, the stereoelectronic properties of the metals ions, second, the steric demand of the coligand, and, third, the properties of the dative bond between nickel and coligand. The energies of transition states connecting functional and precursor forms have been found to depend on these parameters.
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81
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Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT Advances in the understanding of the biophysics of membranes, the nonenzymatic and enzymatic polymerization of RNA, and in the design of complex chemical reaction networks have led to a new, integrated way of viewing the shared chemistry needed to sustain life. Although a protocell capable of Darwinian evolution has yet to be built, the seemingly disparate pieces are beginning to fit together. At the very least, better cellular mimics are on the horizon that will likely teach us much about the physicochemical underpinnings of cellular life.
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82
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Masaldan S, Bush AI, Devos D, Rolland AS, Moreau C. Striking while the iron is hot: Iron metabolism and ferroptosis in neurodegeneration. Free Radic Biol Med 2019; 133:221-233. [PMID: 30266679 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 284] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Perturbations in iron homeostasis and iron accumulation feature in several neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Proteins such as α-synuclein, tau and amyloid precursor protein that are pathologically associated with neurodegeneration are involved in molecular crosstalk with iron homeostatic proteins. Quantitative susceptibility mapping, an MRI based non-invasive technique, offers proximal evaluations of iron load in regions of the brain and powerfully predicts cognitive decline. Further, small molecules that target elevated iron have shown promise against PD and AD in preclinical studies and clinical trials. Despite these strong links between altered iron homeostasis and neurodegeneration the molecular biology to describe the association between enhanced iron levels and neuron death, synaptic impairment and cognitive decline is ill defined. In this review we discuss the current understanding of brain iron homeostasis and how it may be perturbed under pathological conditions. Further, we explore the ramifications of a novel cell death pathway called ferroptosis that has provided a fresh impetus to the "metal hypothesis" of neurodegeneration. While lipid peroxidation plays a central role in the execution of this cell death modality the removal of iron through chelation or genetic modifications appears to extinguish the ferroptotic pathway. Conversely, tissues that harbour elevated iron may be predisposed to ferroptotic damage. These emerging findings are of relevance to neurodegeneration where ferroptotic signalling may offer new targets to mitigate cell death and dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashank Masaldan
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Ashley I Bush
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| | - David Devos
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, Lille University, INSERM UMRS_1171, University Hospital Center, LICEND COEN Center, Lille, France; Department of Medical Pharmacology, Lille University, INSERM UMRS_1171, University Hospital Center, LICEND COEN Center, Lille, France
| | - Anne Sophie Rolland
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Lille University, INSERM UMRS_1171, University Hospital Center, LICEND COEN Center, Lille, France
| | - Caroline Moreau
- Department of Neurology, ALS Center, Lille University, INSERM UMRS_1171, University Hospital Center, LICEND COEN Center, Lille, France; Department of Medical Pharmacology, Lille University, INSERM UMRS_1171, University Hospital Center, LICEND COEN Center, Lille, France
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83
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Kunnev D, Gospodinov A. Possible Emergence of Sequence Specific RNA Aminoacylation via Peptide Intermediary to Initiate Darwinian Evolution and Code Through Origin of Life. Life (Basel) 2018; 8:E44. [PMID: 30279401 PMCID: PMC6316189 DOI: 10.3390/life8040044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most intriguing questions in biological science is how life originated on Earth. A large number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain it, each putting an emphasis on different events leading to functional translation and self-sustained system. Here, we propose a set of interactions that could have taken place in the prebiotic environment. According to our hypothesis, hybridization-induced proximity of short aminoacylated RNAs led to the synthesis of peptides of random sequence. We postulate that among these emerged a type of peptide(s) capable of stimulating the interaction between specific RNAs and specific amino acids, which we call "bridge peptide" (BP). We conclude that translation should have emerged at the same time when the standard genetic code begun to evolve due to the stabilizing effect on RNA-peptide complexes with the help of BPs. Ribosomes, ribozymes, and the enzyme-directed RNA replication could co-evolve within the same period, as logical outcome of RNA-peptide world without the need of RNA only self-sustained step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimiter Kunnev
- Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA.
| | - Anastas Gospodinov
- Roumen Tsanev Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str. 21, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria.
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Bonfio C, Godino E, Corsini M, Fabrizi de Biani F, Guella G, Mansy SS. Prebiotic iron–sulfur peptide catalysts generate a pH gradient across model membranes of late protocells. Nat Catal 2018. [DOI: 10.1038/s41929-018-0116-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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86
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Barata-Vallejo S, Ferreri C, Golding BT, Chatgilialoglu C. Hydrogen Sulfide: A Reagent for pH-Driven Bioinspired 1,2-Diol Mono-deoxygenation and Carbonyl Reduction in Water. Org Lett 2018; 20:4290-4294. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.8b01713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carla Ferreri
- ISOF, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via P. Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
| | - Bernard T. Golding
- School of Natural & Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K
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87
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Blokhuis A, Lacoste D. Length and sequence relaxation of copolymers under recombination reactions. J Chem Phys 2018; 147:094905. [PMID: 28886641 DOI: 10.1063/1.5001021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe the kinetics and thermodynamics of copolymers undergoing recombination reactions, which are important for prebiotic chemistry. We use two approaches: the first one, based on chemical rate equations and the mass-action law describes the infinite size limit, while the second one, based on the chemical master equation, describes systems of finite size. We compare the predictions of both approaches for the relaxation of thermodynamic quantities towards equilibrium. We find that for some choice of initial conditions, the entropy of the sequence distribution can be lowered at the expense of increasing the entropy of the length distribution. We consider mainly energetically neutral reactions, except for one simple case of non-neutral reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Blokhuis
- Gulliver Laboratory, UMR CNRS 7083, PSL Research University, ESPCI, 10 rue Vauquelin, F-75231 Paris, France
| | - David Lacoste
- Gulliver Laboratory, UMR CNRS 7083, PSL Research University, ESPCI, 10 rue Vauquelin, F-75231 Paris, France
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88
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89
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Affiliation(s)
- I. W. Hamley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, United Kingdom
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90
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Belmonte L, Mansy SS. Patterns of Ligands Coordinated to Metallocofactors Extracted from the Protein Data Bank. J Chem Inf Model 2017; 57:3162-3171. [PMID: 29116779 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.7b00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A new R tool is described that rapidly identifies, ranks, and clusters sequence patterns coordinated to metallocofactors. This tool, PdPDB, fills a void because, unlike currently available tools, PdPDB searches through sequences with metal coordination as the primary determinant and can identify patterns consisting of amino acids, nucleotides, and small molecule ligands at once. PdPDB was tested by analyzing structures that coordinate Fe2+/3+, [2Fe-2S], [4Fe-4S], Zn2+, and Mg2+ cofactors. PdPDB confirmed previously identified sequence motifs and revealed which residues are enriched (e.g., glycine) and are under-represented (e.g., glutamine) near ligands to metal centers. The data show the similarities and differences between different metal-binding sites. The patterns that coordinate metallocofactors vary, depending upon whether the metal ions play a structural or catalytic role, with catalytic metal centers exhibiting partial coordination by small molecule ligands. PdPDB 2.0.1 is freely available as a CRAN package.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Belmonte
- CIBIO, University of Trento , Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Povo, Italy
| | - Sheref S Mansy
- CIBIO, University of Trento , Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Povo, Italy
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91
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On the Origin of Superoxide Dismutase: An Evolutionary Perspective of Superoxide-Mediated Redox Signaling. Antioxidants (Basel) 2017; 6:antiox6040082. [PMID: 29084153 PMCID: PMC5745492 DOI: 10.3390/antiox6040082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of free radical biology originated with the discovery of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in 1969. Over the last 5 decades, a plethora of research has been performed in species ranging from bacteria to mammals that has elucidated the molecular reaction, subcellular location, and specific isoforms of SOD. However, while humans have only begun to study this class of enzymes over the past 50 years, it has been estimated that these enzymes have existed for billions of years, and may be some of the original enzymes found in primitive life. As life evolved over this expanse of time, these enzymes have taken on new and different functional roles potentially in contrast to how they were originally derived. Herein, examination of the evolutionary history of these enzymes provides both an explanation and further inquiries into the modern-day role of SOD in physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Bonfio
- CIBIO, University of Trento , via Sommarive 9, 38123 Povo, Italy
| | - Sheref S Mansy
- CIBIO, University of Trento , via Sommarive 9, 38123 Povo, Italy
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