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Recreating ancient metabolic pathways before enzymes.

Kamila B Muchowska1, Elodie Chevallot-Beroux1, Joseph Moran1

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|March 16, 2019
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Life's core metabolic pathways, including carbon fixation, may have begun as non-enzymatic prebiotic chemistry. Research suggests ancient cycles like the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) and reductive acetyl-CoA (AcCoA) pathways could function without enzymes, supporting early life origins.

Keywords:
BiochemistryMetabolism abiogenesisOrigin of lifePrebiotic chemistry

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Astrobiology
  • Origin of Life studies

Background:

  • Modern life relies on complex, enzyme-catalyzed metabolic networks.
  • Enzymes were absent during the origin of life.
  • Prebiotic, non-enzymatic pathways are hypothesized to have preceded enzymatic ones.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if ancient carbon fixation pathways could operate without enzymes.
  • To evaluate the potential of the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle and reductive acetyl-CoA (AcCoA) pathway as prebiotic chemistry.
  • To explore a novel Fe2+-promoted reaction network as a precursor to central metabolic cycles.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental evaluation of the rTCA and reductive AcCoA pathways under enzyme-free conditions.
  • Characterization of an iron(II)-promoted complex reaction network.
  • Analysis of reaction mechanisms to assess prebiotic feasibility.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that the rTCA and reductive AcCoA pathways can function without enzymes, supporting their role in prebiotic chemistry.
  • Discovered an Fe2+-promoted reaction network that may serve as a prebiotic precursor to the TCA and glyoxylate cycles.
  • Provided evidence for the non-enzymatic origins of key metabolic processes.

Conclusions:

  • Central metabolic pathways likely have roots in prebiotic chemistry.
  • Non-enzymatic reactions were crucial for early metabolic evolution.
  • This research supports a plausible chemical origin for core metabolic functions essential for life.