催化是生命系统生物化学的基本特征,而且很可能,它在原始时代发挥了关键作用,帮助从简单分子中产生更复杂的分子。然而,酶,卓越的生物催化剂,在如此古老的背景下是不可用的,所以,相反,小分子催化(有机催化)可能已经发生。原始有机催化剂作用的最佳候选者是氨基酸和短随机肽,据信在地球上的早期就有了。在这次审查中,我们讨论了肽形式的原始有机催化剂的发生,特别是关于丝氨酸组氨酸二肽的报道,最近被调查过。从这个具体案例出发,我们还提到了肽片段缩合的情况,以及肽在原始时代的其他潜在作用。该评论实际上旨在刺激对未开发的研究领域的进一步调查,即专门研究小型随机肽在与益生元化学和早期化学进化相关的反应方面的催化活性。
Catalysis is an essential feature of living systems biochemistry, and probably, it played a key role in primordial times, helping to produce more complex molecules from simple ones. However, enzymes, the biocatalysts par excellence, were not available in such an ancient context, and so, instead, small molecule catalysis (
organocatalysis) may have occurred. The best candidates for the role of primitive organocatalysts are amino acids and short random peptides, which are believed to have been available in an early period on Earth. In this review, we discuss the occurrence of primordial organocatalysts in the form of peptides, in particular commenting on
reports about seryl-histidine dipeptide, which have recently been investigated. Starting from this specific
case, we also mention a peptide fragment condensation scenario, as well as other potential roles of peptides in primordial times. The review actually aims to stimulate further investigation on an unexplored field of research, namely one that specifically looks at the catalytic activity of small random peptides with respect to reactions relevant to prebiotic chemistry and early chemical evolution.