image: Proteinaceous amino acids more readily form short chains that resemble modern proteins chains than non-proteinaceous amino acids. view more
Credit: Image courtesy of Luke J. Leman.
A study finds that proteinaceous amino acids, which are incorporated into protein chains by living organisms, more readily form short chains that resemble modern proteins than nonproteinaceous amino acids, suggesting that proteinaceous amino acids may have been selected during the origin of life on Earth based on their inherent reactivity advantages over nonproteinaceous amino acids, according to the authors.
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Article #19-04849: "Selective incorporation of proteinaceous over nonproteinaceous cationic amino acids in model prebiotic oligomerization reactions," by Moran Frenkel-Pinter et al.
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Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences