Prebiotic synthesis of amino acids from formaldehyde and hydroxylamine in a modified sea medium.
In the course of a study of a possible mechanism for chemical evolution in the primeval sea, we have found a novel reaction for peptide formation from glycine and urea in an aqueous solution. Glycine reacted with urea to give N-carbamylglycine, N-carbamylglycylglycine and glycylglycine. This reaction provides a new pathway for the prebiotic synthesis of peptides.
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005557:Formaldehyde; D019811:Hydroxylamine; D006898:Hydroxylamines; D000069497:Origin of Life; D012623:Seawater
D000596:Amino Acids; D006898:Hydroxylamines; D005557:Formaldehyde; D019811:Hydroxylamine