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Synthesis and breakdown of universal metabolic precursors promoted by iron

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  • Kamila B. Muchowska

    (Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ISIS)

  • Sreejith J. Varma

    (Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ISIS)

  • Joseph Moran

    (Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ISIS)

Abstract

Life builds its molecules from carbon dioxide (CO2) and breaks them back down again through the intermediacy of just five metabolites, which are the universal hubs of biochemistry1. However, it is unclear how core biological metabolism began and why it uses the intermediates, reactions and pathways that it does. Here we describe a purely chemical reaction network promoted by ferrous iron, in which aqueous pyruvate and glyoxylate—two products of abiotic CO2 reduction2–4—build up 9 of the 11 intermediates of the biological Krebs (or tricarboxylic acid) cycle, including all 5 universal metabolic precursors. The intermediates simultaneously break down to CO2 in a life-like regime that resembles biological anabolism and catabolism5. Adding hydroxylamine6–8 and metallic iron into the system produces four biological amino acids in a manner that parallels biosynthesis. The observed network overlaps substantially with the Krebs and glyoxylate cycles9,10, and may represent a prebiotic precursor to these core metabolic pathways.

Suggested Citation

  • Kamila B. Muchowska & Sreejith J. Varma & Joseph Moran, 2019. "Synthesis and breakdown of universal metabolic precursors promoted by iron," Nature, Nature, vol. 569(7754), pages 104-107, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:569:y:2019:i:7754:d:10.1038_s41586-019-1151-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1151-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Sean F. Jordan & Ioannis Ioannou & Hanadi Rammu & Aaron Halpern & Lara K. Bogart & Minkoo Ahn & Rafaela Vasiliadou & John Christodoulou & Amandine Maréchal & Nick Lane, 2021. "Spontaneous assembly of redox-active iron-sulfur clusters at low concentrations of cysteine," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Tuğçe Beyazay & Kendra S. Belthle & Christophe Farès & Martina Preiner & Joseph Moran & William F. Martin & Harun Tüysüz, 2023. "Ambient temperature CO2 fixation to pyruvate and subsequently to citramalate over iron and nickel nanoparticles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Weishu Zhao & Bozitao Zhong & Lirong Zheng & Pan Tan & Yinzhao Wang & Hao Leng & Nicolas Souza & Zhuo Liu & Liang Hong & Xiang Xiao, 2022. "Proteome-wide 3D structure prediction provides insights into the ancestral metabolism of ancient archaea and bacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.

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