Prebiotic access to enantioenriched amino acids via peptide-mediated transamination reactions.

Yu, Jinhan; Darú, Andrea; Deng, Min; Blackmond, Donna G · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2024

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The kinetic resolution of racemic amino acids mediated by dipeptides and pyridoxal provides a prebiotically plausible route to enantioenriched proteinogenic amino acids. The enzymatic transamination cycles that are key to modern biochemical formation of enantiopure amino acids may have evolved from this half of the reversible reaction couple. Kinetic resolution of racemic precursors emerges as a general route to enantioenrichment under prebiotic conditions.

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