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Are polyphosphates or phosphate esters prebiotic reagents?

A D Keefe1, S L Miller

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0317, USA.

Journal of Molecular Evolution
|December 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Prebiotic chemistry likely did not involve high-energy phosphates or phosphate esters due to inefficient synthesis pathways. These essential compounds may not have been part of early genetic material or energy sources.

Area of Science:

  • Prebiotic chemistry
  • Origin of life studies
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Theories suggest high-energy phosphates, like adenosine triphosphate, and ribose-phosphate were crucial for early life.
  • Efficient prebiotic synthesis routes for these vital phosphate compounds remain undiscovered.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the plausibility of prebiotic synthesis for high-energy phosphates and phosphate esters.
  • To evaluate the efficiency of proposed natural and experimental synthesis methods.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of natural phosphate occurrences and volcanic/geological synthesis.
  • Analysis of high-energy organic compounds (cyanamide, hydrogen cyanide) for polyphosphate synthesis.
  • Experimental spark discharge syntheses to identify novel polymerizing agents.
Keywords:
NASA Discipline ExobiologyNon-NASA Center

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Main Results:

  • Natural and organic compound-based syntheses of phosphates are inefficient, especially considering hydrolysis.
  • Even theoretical quantitative conversion of atmospheric gases yielded insignificant oceanic phosphate concentrations.
  • Spark discharge experiments failed to yield efficient polymerizing agents.

Conclusions:

  • Phosphate esters are unlikely constituents of the first genetic material.
  • Prebiotic synthesis of high-energy phosphates and phosphoanhydrides faces significant challenges.
  • Further research into undiscovered synthesis or concentration mechanisms is needed.