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Published on: August 2, 2012
Diastereomeric Configuration Modulates Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation and Catalysis in Minimalist Dipeptide
Shuai Peng1, Xiaokun Zhang1, Xin-Li Shi1
1School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, P. R. China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|May 21, 2026
Summary
Chirality in simple molecules controls liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), forming coacervates that accelerate reactions. This stereochemistry-dependent process is key for understanding protocell formation and the origin of life.
Area of Science:
- Origin of Life Research
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Chemical Biology
Background:
- Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of small molecules forms coacervates, considered plausible protocell models.
- The influence of molecular stereochemistry on LLPS remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how stereochemistry of minimalist dipeptides affects liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS).
- To explore the role of chirality in coacervate formation and function as protocell models.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized dipeptide stereoisomers of proline and naphthylalanine.
- Studied LLPS propensity under identical aqueous conditions.
- Utilized single-crystal X-ray diffraction and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.
Main Results:
- Dipeptide stereoisomers LPDNal and DPLNal underwent LLPS, forming coacervates that accelerated stereoselective reactions.
- Stereoisomers LPLNal and DPDNal favored crystallization over LLPS.
- Stereochemistry-dependent variations in hydrogen bonding and aromatic stacking drive the divergence in pathways.
Conclusions:
- Molecular stereochemistry directly modulates LLPS in minimalist systems.
- Chirality plays a crucial role in regulating protocell-like compartmentalization and chemical reactivity.
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