The Origin of Life

Short Peptides Chains in Water

Short peptide chains have been produced in water. Usually a catalyst like clay or some other mineral like pyrite is required. The minerals can interact with the C-terminus of one amino acid making it more vulnerable to attack by the N-terminus of another. Clay in particular can form pockets that may help exclude water. These techniques are interesting, but 6 to 10 amino acid chains are not proteins. It is not clear how such a process can explain the origin of a 150 amino acid chain. Figure 9.6 shows how a mineral may help peptide bond formation. The C-terminus of each glycine molecule interacts with the clay substrate. The arrow shows how the N-terminus of one glycine attacks the C-terminus of the other. This forms a peptide bond. The resulting peptide will contain two glycines. Many researchers have speculated that clay may have played a critical role in life's origin.


Figure 9.6: Clay and Peptide Bond Formation

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