A plausible model correlates prebiotic peptide synthesis with the primordial genetic code

Abstract

Aminoacyladenylates (5′-aa-AMPs) are key intermediates in peptide synthesis. Here we report analogs of 5′-aa-AMPs, namely nucleotide amidates (aa-N-NMPs), obtained under Hadean conditions. Significantly, dipeptides were detected from the above reactions and their yields varied with different nucleosides through the formation of different aa-N-NMPs. This model provides both prebiotic peptides and the primordial version of the genetic code through reactions that occurred under potentially prebiotic conditions.