Researchers at Rutgers University have identified a short protein fragment that could illuminate how life began on Earth. In time, this discovery may help scientists spot worlds beyond our own that are on the cusp of habitability. The findings were published on the university’s official site and are being shared with the wider scientific community.
The study began with a close look at modern proteins, but the team simplified their structure to understand the essential steps. The authors propose that life might have started from incredibly simple proteins, which could still participate in key chemical reactions that kick off early metabolic pathways.
Through a sequence of experiments, the scientists highlighted a promising candidate a tiny peptide named Nickelback. This 13 amino acid chain binds two nickel ions, a pairing that appears to influence catalytic activity in meaningful ways.
Dating a window to about 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago, the researchers imagine life’s turning point as the result of several small precursor proteins executing vital roles in an ancient metabolic system. They describe one of these early, pioneering peptides that could have steered the first steps toward living chemistry.
The team notes that nickel was widely available in the ancient oceans. When bound to the peptide, the nickel ions act as catalysts, driving reactions that attract protons and electrons and generate hydrogen gas. These reactions may have provided the spark needed to begin organized biochemical processes on the young planet. The outcome, they suggest, would be a cascade of molecular events leading to the emergence of life as we know it. (Citation: Rutgers University press release, 2024)
In discussing the broader implications, the researchers emphasize that their work does not claim to recreate life itself but to illuminate plausible chemical steps that could have preceded it. By identifying a plausible pioneer peptide and showing how simple metal-bound peptides could drive early catalysis, the study adds a piece to the vast puzzle of abiogenesis. The findings are expected to guide future experiments aimed at testing these ideas in more complex models and in environments that resemble early Earth. (Citation: Rutgers University press release, 2024)