Recent research reveals that a peptide called "Nickelback" may have played a huge role in kick-starting life on earth. The substance may also serve as a clue in the long-standing search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
Nickelback Peptide Molecule
A research team from Rutgers University and the City College of New York was able to pinpoint a simple peptide protein called nickelback. While it mirrors the name of a famous Canadian rock band, the name of the peptide refers to the backbone of the protein, which consists of two atoms of nitrogen linked to a nickel atom pair and an amino acid chain.
Their findings were published in the Science Advances journal.
According to Science Alert, Vikas Nanda, who is a molecular biologist and biochemist from Rutgers University, mentioned that scientists think that around 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago, a tipping point was there. This may have started the change of prebiotic chemistry into living systems.
As per Nanda, the researchers think that this change may have been triggered by small precursor proteins that executed vital procedures in prehistoric metabolic reactions. Now, they think that they have found one of the pioneer peptides in the process.
SciTechDaily reports that a peptide refers to a protein constituent that comprises the building blocks of life called amino acids.
To see the final design of the peptides, the researchers started with present-day proteins which power the metabolic processes that drive various biochemical reactions. Prehistoric proteins should have been simpler. Hence, such proteins were broken down into their basic components.
Various experiments resulted in nickelback being a likely pioneer peptide. It may have been simple enough to be formed on earth when the planet was prebiotic. However, the peptide may have been quite complex to take environmental energy and do something with the energy. The peptide uses 13 amino acids in total.
For this primary scaffold, two atoms of nickel could link and mirror the primary activity of NiFe hydrogenase, a nickel-iron group, and acetyl-CoA synthase's nickel-nickel cluster. These are two prehistoric proteins that still play vital roles in present-day metabolism.
Nicke would have abundantly filled the planet's first oceans. When nickel atoms are bound to peptides, the atoms serve as a catalyst for hydrogen gas release. This may have been an important energy source billions of years ago. The researchers were able to demonstrate these processes in the laboratory.
Nanda mentions how important it is because, though there are various theories regarding life's origins, only a few ideas have been lab-tested.
Life on Earth and Other Planets
The researchers who participated in the study are part of a team led by Rutgers known as ENIGMA (Evolution of Nanomachines in Geospheres and Microbial Ancestors), which is part of NASA's astrobiology program. The specialists aim to understand the evolution of proteins and how they became a catalyst for life on earth.
As astronomers examine the universe and look for signs of life, they specifically look for biosignatures. Nickelback peptides could now become the latest biomarker for looking for life on other planets.
If nickelback had a significant role in the start of life on earth, the peptide could be forming in other planets as well.
Science Alert reports that this discovery does not just shed light on the origins of life on earth but also serves a clue for astronomers who are embarking on the long-standing search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
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