scholarly journals Chance and Necessity in the Evolution of Matter to Life: A Comprehensive Hypothesis

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1918
Author(s):  
Vadim A. Davankov
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Atmospheric Oxygen ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Living Matter ◽  
Fundamental Particles ◽  
Nucleic Bases ◽  
Surface Active ◽  
The Origin Of Life ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
High Degree

Specialists in several branches of life sciences are trying to solve, piece by piece, the immensely complex puzzle of the origin of life. Some parts of the puzzle seem to appear with a rather high degree of clarity, while others remain totally obscure. We cannot be sure that life emerged only on our Earth, but we believe that the presence of large amounts of water in its liquid state is absolutely essential for the emergence and evolution of living matter. We can also assume that the latter exploits everywhere the same light elements, mainly C, H, O, N, S, and P, and somehow manipulates the same simple monomeric and polymeric organic compounds, such as alpha-amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleic bases, and surface-active carboxylic acids. The author contributes to the field by stating that all fundamental particles of our matter are “homochiral” and predominantly produce in an absolute asymmetric synthesis amino acids of L-configuration and carbohydrates of D-series. Another important point is that free atmospheric oxygen mainly stems from the photolysis of water molecules by cosmic irradiation and is not necessarily bound to living organisms on the planet.

Adsorption of amino acids and nucleic acid bases onto minerals: a few suggestions for prebiotic chemistry experiments

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 229-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimas A.M. Zaia
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Origin Of Life ◽  
Prebiotic Chemistry ◽  
Synthesis Methods ◽  
Nucleic Acid Bases ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Protein Amino Acids ◽  
The Origin Of Life ◽  
Living Organisms

AbstractAmino acids and nucleic acid bases are very important for the living organisms. Thus, their protection from decomposition, selection, pre-concentration and formation of biopolymers are important issues for understanding the origin of life on the Earth. Minerals could have played all of these roles. This paper discusses several aspects involving the adsorption of amino acids and nucleic acid bases onto minerals under conditions that could have been found on the prebiotic Earth; in particular, we recommend the use of minerals, amino acids, nucleic acid bases and seawater ions in prebiotic chemistry experiments. Several experiments involving amino acids, nucleic acid bases, minerals and seawater ions are also suggested, including: (a) using well-characterized minerals and the standardization of the mineral synthesis methods; (b) using primary chondrite minerals (olivine, pyroxene, etc.) and clays modified with metals (Cu, Fe, Ni, Mo, Zn, etc.); (c) determination of the possible products of decomposition due to interactions of amino acids and nucleic acid bases with minerals; (d) using minerals with more organophilic characteristics; (e) using seawaters with different concentrations of ions (i.e. Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42− and Cl−); (f) using non-protein amino acids (AIB, α-ABA, β-ABA, γ-ABA and β-Ala and g) using nucleic acid bases other than adenine, thymine, uracil and cytosine. These experiments could be useful to clarify the role played by minerals in the origin of life on the Earth.

Epigenetic Mechanisms of Maternal Dietary Protein and Amino Acids Affecting Growth and Development of Offspring

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 727-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Wu ◽  
Zhibin Cheng ◽  
Yueyu Bai ◽  
Xi Ma
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Dietary Protein ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Biological Macromolecules ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanisms ◽  
Maternal Circulation ◽  
Energy Processing ◽  
Living Organisms

Nutrients can regulate metabolic activities of living organisms through epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and RNA regulation. Since the nutrients required for early embryos and postpartum lactation are derived in whole or in part from maternal and lactating nutrition, the maternal nutritional level affects the growth and development of fetus and creates a profound relationship between disease development and early environmental exposure in the offspring’s later life. Protein is one of the most important biological macromolecules, involved in almost every process of life, such as information transmission, energy processing and material metabolism. Maternal protein intake levels may affect the integrity of the fetal genome and alter DNA methylation and gene expression. Most amino acids are supplied to the fetus from the maternal circulation through active transport of placenta. Some amino acids, such as methionine, as dietary methyl donor, play an important role in DNA methylation and body’s one-carbon metabolism. The purpose of this review is to describe effects of maternal dietary protein and amino acid intake on fetal and neonatal growth and development through epigenetic mechanisms, with examples in humans and animals.

scholarly journals Quantitative Assessment of Organic And Inorganic Contaminants In Charcoal Applied for Food Processing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zbigniew Jelonek ◽  
Monika Fabiańska ◽  
Iwona Jelonek
Keyword(s):  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Moderate Degree ◽  
Inorganic Contaminants ◽  
Low Degree ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
High Degree

Abstract Thirty-one batches of commercial charcoal from various regions of Poland and Germany were tested for the presence of twenty toxic elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Elements that are toxic to living organisms were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). They were classified as elements representing a very high degree of hazard (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, and Pb), high degree of hazard (Zn, Ba, Cr, Mn, and Mo), moderate degree of hazard (Co, Ni, Sn, and Te), and a low degree of hazard for living organisms and the environment (Ag, Bi, Ce, Se, Sr, and Zr). When it comes to the most toxic elements, the highest concentration in the whole tested material was recorded for Cu. In addition, considerable amounts of Ba, Mn, and Sr, i.e., elements representing high or moderate degree of hazard, were found in the tested charcoals. Moreover, all charcoals contained a wide range of PAHs, from naphthalene to benzo(ghi)perylene, with concentrations in the range between 12.55 and 3554.11 ng/g of charcoal. In total, 25 unsubstituted PAHs were identified in the charcoal extracts. PAHs distributions were dominated by 5-ring PAHs. The results indicate the high carcinogenicity with ∑PAHcarc/∑PAHtot close to 1, as well as high TEQ and MEQ values. Thus, prolonged exposure to charcoal and charcoal dust might cause serious health problems. This applies to employees actively involved in the production and transport of charcoal, and, to a lesser extent, also to users of this fuel.

scholarly journals A species-specific nucleosomal signature defines a periodic distribution of amino acids in proteins

Open Biology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 140218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Quintales ◽  
Ignacio Soriano ◽  
Enrique Vázquez ◽  
Mónica Segurado ◽  
Francisco Antequera
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Protein Composition ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Yeast Genome ◽  
Relative Distribution ◽  
Periodic Distribution ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Average Distribution ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
High Degree

Nucleosomes are the basic structural units of chromatin. Most of the yeast genome is organized in a pattern of positioned nucleosomes that is stably maintained under a wide range of physiological conditions. In this work, we have searched for sequence determinants associated with positioned nucleosomes in four species of fission and budding yeasts. We show that mononucleosomal DNA follows a highly structured base composition pattern, which differs among species despite the high degree of histone conservation. These nucleosomal signatures are present in transcribed and non-transcribed regions across the genome. In the case of open reading frames, they correctly predict the relative distribution of codons on mononucleosomal DNA, and they also determine a periodicity in the average distribution of amino acids along the proteins. These results establish a direct and species-specific connection between the position of each codon around the histone octamer and protein composition.

scholarly journals Determination of Surfactants in Environmental Samples. Part II. Anionic Compounds

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Olkowska ◽  
Marek Ruman ◽  
Anna Kowalska ◽  
Żaneta Polkowska
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Anionic Surfactants ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Total Concentration ◽  
Polar Group ◽  
Surface Active Agents ◽  
Assisted Extraction ◽  
Surface Active ◽  
Living Organisms

Abstract Surface active agents (SAA) with negative charge of polar group are named as anionic compounds. They are the main constituent of most products containing synthetic surfactants. The linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), alkyl ethoxysulfates (AES) and alkyl sulfates (AS) are typically applied from this class of compounds. Those surfactants are ingredients of household detergents and cleaners, laundry detergents, cosmetic etc. Moreover they can be applied in the paper, textile and tanning industry as optical brighteners, dispersant, wetting and suspending agents. They can be substrates in the formulation of different products like dyes, pigments, pesticides, exchange resins, plasticizers and pharmaceuticals. Anionic surfactants after use are passed into sewage-treatment plants, where they are partially degraded and adsorbed to sewage sludge (applied in agriculture fields). Finally, the anionic SAA or their degradation products are discharged into surface waters and onto bottom sediments, soils or living organisms. Therefore, it is important (widely application, bioaccumulation, toxicity for living organisms) to investigate the environmental fate of those class of compounds in more details. This research involves determination the concentration of anionic surfactants with use appropriated analytical techniques in environmental samples The official methodology for determination of anionic SAA in liquid samples is based on the ion-pair reaction of these analytes compounds with methylene blue (MB) and an extraction with toxic solvent chloroform. During isolation step of anionic compounds from solid samples are employed Soxhlet and ultrasonic-assisted extraction techniques with use of methanol or mixture of other organic solvents as extraction medium. To overcome disadvantages of those traditional techniques were applied following techniques at sample preparation step from liquid and solid matrices: solid-phase extraction (SPE) and solid-phases microextraction (SPME); accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), respectively. For estimate total concentration of anionic analytes in extracts the spectrophotometric technique is used (as official regulation). For determination concentration of individual analytes were applied gas (derivatization step requires) and liquid chromatography mainly with mass spectrometry technique. The presence of anionic surface active agents was confirmed in various ecosystems (liquid and solid environmental samples).

Protein environment affects the water–tryptophan binding mode. MD, QM/MM, and NMR studies of engrailed homeodomain mutants

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 12664-12677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nad'a Špačková ◽  
Zuzana Trošanová ◽  
Filip Šebesta ◽  
Séverine Jansen ◽  
Jaroslav V. Burda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Lone Pair ◽  
Binding Mode ◽  
The Other ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Interaction Type ◽  
Nmr Studies ◽  
Engrailed Homeodomain ◽  
The One ◽  
Protein Environment

Water molecules can interact with the π-face of tryptophan either forming an O–H⋯π hydrogen bond or by a lone-pair⋯π interaction. Surrounding amino acids can favor the one or the other interaction type.

Biological Role of Magnesium

1958 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 429-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
A La Pleshchitser
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Oxygen ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Biological Role ◽  
Living Matter ◽  
Antagonistic Action ◽  
Biochemical Processes ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Labile Equilibrium

Abstract Fersman (1934) commented on the relatively unimportant role of magnesium in biochemical processes. The comparatively limited radius of its ions, the stability and relative insolubility of its compounds prevent its taking an active part in the reactions of living matter. On the other hand, we have the statement of Vernadskii that in the plankton film of the ocean, in the ordinary accumulations and more massive growths, the amount of magnesium-containing chlorophyll must reach the order of 10-4 per cent by weight, if not higher, so that a small quantity of magnesium, entering into the composition of the chlorophyll-complex of the plankton, ultimately regulates the main part of the oxygenating function of living matter, the creation of free atmospheric oxygen. The material summarized by us likewise affords evidence of the importance of the role of magnesium in biological processes. All this, however, does not justify sharp differentiation between the biological role of magnesium and its role in biochemical processes. In all probability these processes are conditional to each other, although they are not identical processes. It is important to note the established and incontestable role of magnesium in many enzymatic processes in both the plant and animal kingdoms. The antagonistic action between magnesium and calcium, resulting from artificial changes in the ratios of these elements in soil, plants, and animals, can hardly occur under natural conditions, and, conversely, it must be assumed that a labile equilibrium between these elements is always maintained. The depressing action of magnesium ions on the central nervous system acquires considerable biological significance, since this permits the assumption that these ions in the animal organism may facilitate inhibitory processes in the nerve cell and insure the normal course of catabolic and anabolic processes. The narcotic and cholinolytic effects of magnesium constitute the basis for the wide therapeutic use of magnesium salts in medical practice.

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