Abstract
Several polypeptides prepared by means of pyrocondensation have been the subject of structural investigations. Attention has been focused on the constitutional characterization of homo-and co-polymers containing Asp and Glu residues, whose role is essential for the formation of the so-called proteinoids. Contrary to the literature data based on chemical degradation, nmr studies show conclusively that in thermal poly-aspartic acid only β-peptide linkages are present. This result casts serious doubt on the role thermal condensation might have played in prebiotic polypeptide syntheses.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Fox, S. W.: 1971, in A. P. Kimball and J. Oro (eds.),Prebiotic and Biochemical Evolution, North Holland, Amsterdam-London, p. 8.
Fox, S. W. and Harada, K.: 1966, in P. Alexander and H. P. Lundgren (eds.),Analytical Methods of Protein Chemistry, Vol. 4, Pergamon Press, Oxford, p. 129.
Kovacs, J. and Konyves, I.: 1954,Naturwiss,14, 333.
Rohlfing, D. L.: 1967,Nature 216, 657.
Scheinblatt, M.: 1966,J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 88, 2845.
Scheinblatt, M.: 1967, in A. Ehrenberg, B. G. Malmstrom and T. Vanngard (eds.),Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Pergamon Press, Oxford, p. 35.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Andini, S., Benedetti, E., Ferrara, L. et al. NMR studies of prebiotic polypeptides. Origins Life Evol Biosphere 6, 147–153 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01372399
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01372399