Quantum Dots in Peroxidase-like Chemistry and Formamide-Based Hot Spring Synthesis of Nucleobases
Language English Country United States Media print-electronic
Document type Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PubMed
35333585
DOI
10.1089/ast.2021.0099
Knihovny.cz E-resources
- Keywords
- Formamide, Metal ions, Nanoparticle world, Nanozymes, Origin of life, Thiols, UV-induced nanoparticles,
- MeSH
- Formamides MeSH
- Hot Springs * MeSH
- Catalysis MeSH
- Quantum Dots * chemistry MeSH
- Peroxidase MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Formamides MeSH
- Peroxidase MeSH
Quantum dots (QDs) are usually seen as artificial semiconductor particles exhibiting optical and electronic properties interesting for nanotechnological applications. However, they may also play a role in prebiotic chemistry. Starting from zinc acetate, cadmium acetate, and mercaptosuccinic acid, we demonstrate the formation of ZnCd QDs upon UV irradiation in prebiotic liquid formamide. We show that ZnCd QDs are able to increase the yield of RNA nucleobase synthesis from formamide up to 300 times, suggesting they might have served as universal catalysts in a primordial milieu. Based on the experimentally observed peroxidase-like activity of ZnCd QDs upon irradiation with visible light, we propose that QDs could be relevant to a broad variety of processes relating to the emergence of terrestrial life.
Central European Institute of Technology Brno University of Technology Brno Czech Republic
Charles University Prague Faculty of Science Prague Czech Republic
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Mendel University in Brno Brno Czech Republic
J Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry Czech Academy of Sciences Prague Czech Republic
References provided by Crossref.org
Enhanced UV-C resistance through light-activated zinc-cysteine complex formation
