Cited by 228Origins and Evolution of LifeChemical Reaction MechanismsEnzyme Catalysis and Immobilization

Metals promote sequences of the reverse Krebs cycle

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Muchowska, Kamila B., Varma, Sreejith J., Chevallot-Beroux, Elodie, Lethuillier-Karl, Lucas, Li, Guang, Moran, Joseph·2017·Nature Ecology & Evolution

Abstract

The reverse tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle (also known as the reverse Krebs cycle) is a central anabolic biochemical pathway whose origins are proposed to trace back to geochemistry, long before the advent of enzymes, RNA or cells, and whose imprint remains intimately embedded in the structure of core metabolism. If it existed, a primordial version of the rTCA cycle would necessarily have been catalysed by naturally occurring minerals at the earliest stage of the transition from geochemistry to biochemistry. Here, we report non-enzymatic promotion of multiple reactions of the rTCA cycle in consecutive sequence, whereby 6 of its 11 reactions were promoted by Zn 2+, Cr 3+ and Fe 0 in an acidic aqueous solution. Two distinct three-reaction sequences were achieved under a common set of conditions. Selectivity was observed for reduction reactions producing rTCA cycle intermediates compared with those leading off-cycle. Reductive amination of ketoacids to furnish amino acids was observed under similar conditions. The emerging reaction network supports the feasibility of primitive anabolism in an acidic, metal-rich reducing environment.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41559-017-0311-7

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  • There is an important body of work proposing synthetic routes towards di- and tricarboxylic acids, which are core metabolites of the TCA/rTCA cycle.

    “In addition to the above approaches, there is an important body of work that proposes synthetic routes towards di- and tricarboxylic acids, which constitute core metabolites of the tricarboxylic acids (TCA/rTCA) cycle, also called the (reductive) Krebs cycle (e in Scheme 1).49,50”

    From The protometabolic nature of prebiotic chemistry (2023) · cites this paper as [49]

  • The rTCA cycle is an appealing candidate for early prebiotic metabolism because, similar to the oxidative TCA cycle, it produces the five universal precursors to biological metabolism.

    “The rTCA cycle is an appealing candidate for early prebiotic metabolism because, similar to the oxidative TCA cycle, it produces the five universal precursors to biological metabolism (12, 14, 18).”

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Authors
Muchowska, K. B., Varma, S. J., Chevallot-Beroux, E., Lethuillier-Karl, L., Li, G., & Moran, J.
Affiliations
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
Corresponding author
Moran, Joseph
Venue
Nature Ecology & Evolution
Published
2017-10-02
Volume
1
Issue
11
Pages
1716-1721
ISSN
2397-334X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2758609433
Cited by
228
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 4
FWCI
11.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Ecology & Evolution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-10-LABX-0026)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Chemical Reaction Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
Keywords
reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle, non-enzymatic catalysis, metal ions, zinc, chromium, iron, origin of metabolism, reductive amination, amino acid synthesis, prebiotic chemistry
MeSH terms
Chromium, Citric Acid Cycle, Ions, Iron, Zinc, Evolution, Chemical

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