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Nejdl L, Petera L, Šponer J, Zemánková K, Pavelicová K, Knížek A, Adam V, Vaculovičová M, Ivanek O, Ferus M. Quantum Dots in Peroxidase-like Chemistry and Formamide-Based Hot Spring Synthesis of Nucleobases. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:541-551. [PMID: 35333585 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) are usually seen as artificial semiconductor particles exhibiting optical and electronic properties interesting for nanotechnological applications. However, they may also play a role in prebiotic chemistry. Starting from zinc acetate, cadmium acetate, and mercaptosuccinic acid, we demonstrate the formation of ZnCd QDs upon UV irradiation in prebiotic liquid formamide. We show that ZnCd QDs are able to increase the yield of RNA nucleobase synthesis from formamide up to 300 times, suggesting they might have served as universal catalysts in a primordial milieu. Based on the experimentally observed peroxidase-like activity of ZnCd QDs upon irradiation with visible light, we propose that QDs could be relevant to a broad variety of processes relating to the emergence of terrestrial life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukáš Nejdl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Petera
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Judit Šponer
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Zemánková
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Pavelicová
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Antonín Knížek
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Adam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Vaculovičová
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Ivanek
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Ferus
- J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
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Petera L, Mrazikova K, Nejdl L, Zemankova K, Vaculovicova M, Pastorek A, Civis S, Kubelik P, Heays A, Cassone G, Sponer J, Ferus M, Sponer J. Prebiotic Route to Thymine from Formamide-A Combined Experimental-Theoretical Study. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26082248. [PMID: 33924594 PMCID: PMC8069957 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26082248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthesis of RNA nucleobases from formamide is one of the recurring topics of prebiotic chemistry research. Earlier reports suggest that thymine, the substitute for uracil in DNA, may also be synthesized from formamide in the presence of catalysts enabling conversion of formamide to formaldehyde. In the current paper, we show that to a lesser extent conversion of uracil to thymine may occur even in the absence of catalysts. This is enabled by the presence of formic acid in the reaction mixture that forms as the hydrolysis product of formamide. Under the reaction conditions of our study, the disproportionation of formic acid may produce formaldehyde that hydroxymethylates uracil in the first step of the conversion process. The experiments are supplemented by quantum chemical modeling of the reaction pathway, supporting the plausibility of the mechanism suggested by Saladino and coworkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukáš Petera
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ 18223 Prague 8, Czech Republic; (L.P.); (A.P.); (S.C.); (P.K.); (A.H.)
| | - Klaudia Mrazikova
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ 61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (J.S.)
| | - Lukas Nejdl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, CZ 61300 Brno, Czech Republic; (K.Z.); (M.V.)
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ 61200 Brno, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: (L.N.); (M.F.); (J.S.)
| | - Kristyna Zemankova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, CZ 61300 Brno, Czech Republic; (K.Z.); (M.V.)
| | - Marketa Vaculovicova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, CZ 61300 Brno, Czech Republic; (K.Z.); (M.V.)
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ 61200 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Pastorek
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ 18223 Prague 8, Czech Republic; (L.P.); (A.P.); (S.C.); (P.K.); (A.H.)
| | - Svatopluk Civis
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ 18223 Prague 8, Czech Republic; (L.P.); (A.P.); (S.C.); (P.K.); (A.H.)
| | - Petr Kubelik
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ 18223 Prague 8, Czech Republic; (L.P.); (A.P.); (S.C.); (P.K.); (A.H.)
| | - Alan Heays
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ 18223 Prague 8, Czech Republic; (L.P.); (A.P.); (S.C.); (P.K.); (A.H.)
| | - Giuseppe Cassone
- Institute for Chemical-Physical Processes, Italian National Research Council (IPCF-CNR), Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 37, 98158 Messina, Italy;
| | - Jiri Sponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ 61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (J.S.)
| | - Martin Ferus
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, CZ 18223 Prague 8, Czech Republic; (L.P.); (A.P.); (S.C.); (P.K.); (A.H.)
- Correspondence: (L.N.); (M.F.); (J.S.)
| | - Judit Sponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ 61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (K.M.); (J.S.)
- Correspondence: (L.N.); (M.F.); (J.S.)
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