In a groundbreaking study, researchers have discovered that peptides can form in the interstellar medium (ISM), the vast space between stars, through a novel pathway that skips the stage of amino acid formation in protein synthesis. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the origins of life, as it suggests that peptides could have been delivered to rocky planets in the habitable zone, including Earth, during the period of heavy bombardment.
Formation of Peptides in the Interstellar Medium
The study demonstrates that the condensation of carbon atoms on the surface of cold solid particles (cosmic dust) leads to the formation of isomeric polyglycine monomers (aminoketene molecules). These aminoketene molecules then polymerize to produce peptides of different lengths, which could have been delivered to the early Earth as biopolymers. This process is efficient, even at low temperatures, without irradiation or the presence of water, making it a plausible mechanism for the formation of peptides in space.