Prebiotic Chemistry in Aqueous Environment: A Review of Peptide Synthesis and Its Relationship with Genetic Code

Abstract

AbstractPrebiotic peptide synthesis and the origin of the genetic code are central issues concerning the origin of life. The question of how they are possibly correlated on the primordial Earth remains perplexing, although numerous experiments have been carried out to explain the prebiotic chemistry of peptide synthesis and the genetic code origin. The purpose of this article is to review the chemical reactions occurred during the synthesis of peptides and the origin of the genetic code in the early Earth aqueous environment. Meanwhile, we attempt to review their relationship as well. At last, from our perspective, the chiral properties of biomolecules should be taken into account in the prebiotic chemical scenarios, which may contribute to some breakthroughs in the further research of this field.