Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Curation of Computational Chemical Libraries Demonstrated with Alpha-Amino Acids
Published on: April 13, 2022
The origin of the biologically coded amino acids.
1Geophysical Laboratory, The Carnegie Institution for Science, 5251 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA. hjcleaves@ciw.edu
The 20 amino acids used in biology likely arose from early Earth
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Astrobiology
- Origin of Life Studies
Background:
- Biology utilizes a limited set of 20 amino acids for protein synthesis.
- The origin of life models propose development from environmentally available organic compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss potential mechanisms for the selection of the 20 biological amino acids from prebiotic chemistry.
- To explore the interplay between chemical properties, environmental availability, and early biological evolution.
Main Methods:
- Review of prebiotic chemistry and amino acid synthesis under early Earth conditions.
- Analysis of factors influencing amino acid selection, including chemical properties and metabolic accessibility.
Main Results:
- Amino acid production on primitive Earth was condition-dependent and controversial.
- Selection of the biological set involved chemical and early biological evolution based on properties and utility.
Conclusions:
- The modern set of 20 amino acids is a result of a multi-stage selection process.
- Both environmental availability and functional utility played crucial roles in establishing the biological amino acid repertoire.
More Related Videos
11:47Residue-specific Incorporation of Noncanonical Amino Acids into Model Proteins Using an Escherichia coli Cell-free Transcription-translation System
Published on: August 1, 2016
08:14Extraction of Non-Protein Amino Acids from Cyanobacteria for Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis
Published on: December 9, 2022
Related Concept Videos
From DNA to Protein
The Central Dogma
The Central Dogma
RNA is the Missing Link Between DNA and Proteins
In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that DNA stores all the information needed for cellular functions and that proteins perform most of these functions. However, the mechanisms of converting genetic information into functional proteins remained unknown for many years. Initially, it was believed that a single gene is...
The Central Dogma
RNA is the Missing Link Between DNA and Proteins
In the early 1900s, scientists discovered that DNA stores all the information needed for cellular functions and that proteins perform most of these functions. However, the mechanisms of converting genetic information into functional proteins remained unknown for many years. Initially, it was believed that a single gene is...
The Central Dogma
Amino Acid Biosynthetic Pathways