title: The synthesis of glutamic acid in the absence of enzymes:  implications for biogenesis.
abstract: This paper reports on the non-enzymatic aqueous phase synthesis of amino acids from keto acids, ammonia and reducing agents.  The facile synthesis of key metabolic intermediates, particularly in the glycolytic pathway, the citric acid cycle, and the first step of amino acid synthesis, lead to new ways of looking at the problem of biogenesis.
authors.affiliation: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morowitz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D000641:Ammonia / Q000737:chemistry*; D000643:Ammonium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D005561:Formates / Q000737:chemistry; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D005998:Glycine / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D006038:Glyoxylates / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007651:Keto Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D000069497:Origin of Life; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D019163:Reducing Agents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005561:Formates; D006038:Glyoxylates; D007651:Keto Acids; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids; D019163:Reducing Agents; D000643:Ammonium Chloride; C030544:formic acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D000641:Ammonia; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; C031150:glyoxylic acid; D000409:Alanine; D005998:Glycine