RESEARCHERS at the University of Leeds have uncovered new clues to the origins of life on Earth. The team found that a compound known as pyrophosphite may have been an important energy source for primitive life forms. There are several conflicting theories on how life on Earth emerged from inanimate matter billions of years ago – a process known as abiogenesis.
Dr Terry Kee, who led the research, said: “It’s a chicken-and-egg question. Scientists are in disagreement over what came first – replication or metabolism. But there is a third part to the equation – and that is energy.”
All living things require a continual supply of energy in order to function. This energy is carried around our bodies within certain molecules, one of the best known being ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which converts heat from the sun into a useable form for animals and plants.
At any one time, the human body contains just 250g of ATP – this provides roughly the same amount of energy as a single AA battery. This ATP store is being constantly used and regenerated in cells via a process known as respiration, which is driven by natural catalysts called enzymes.
“You need enzymes to make ATP and you need ATP to make enzymes,” explained Dr Kee.
“The question is, where did energy come from before either of these two things existed?
“We think that the answer may lie in simple molecules such as pyrophosphite, which is chemically very similar to ATP but has the potential to transfer energy without enzymes.”
Since completing this research, Dr Kee’s team have found further evidence for the importance of this molecule and now hope to team up with scientists from Nasa to investigate its role in abiogenesis.
Recommended for you
