New investigation paves the way for more efficient biofuels production.
The hypothesis that proposes that simple molecules of formaldehyde reacted under the conditions of the primitive land to form within limitsa sugar that forms the structure of RNA, is correct?
A new study questions the theory, currently accepted by the scientific community.
Scientists realized that, under controlled experimental conditions, the reaction of Formosis does not produce linear sugars, but essentially branched sugars structureswhich are incompatible with RNA formation.
“The concept of the Formosa reaction as a pre-biotic source of ribose needs to be seriously reconsidered,” the corresponding author Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy, professor of chemistry at Scripps Research. “Other models and options should be explored if we want Understand how these sugar molecules emerged in the primitive land ”.
“The problem is that it is a very confusing reaction, and if ribose is formed, it is a tiny part and only one of hundreds and thousands of compounds that will be formed,” says Krishnamurthy. “We wanted to understand why this reaction is so complex and if it can be controlled.”
Normally, the reaction of Formosis is conducted at high temperatures and in a very basic environment (at a high pH of 12 or 13).
In this experience, the authors of the published in Chem in April they decided to test the reaction in milder conditions: room temperature and in a pH of about 8, which say it is probably closer to the conditions present in the pre-biotic land.
“The reactivity of formaldehyde does not allow to stop at a specific stage,” explains Krishnamurthy. “Even under very gentle reaction conditions, it continues until all formaldehyde is consumed, which means that it is very difficult to control or interrupt the reaction to form intermediate sugars.”
And it’s not a step forward just to dethrone a theory that is already 160 years old. The discovery can also revolutionize the energy. “Our work can be useful for Biofuels productionbecause we find that, under softer conditions, we can produce more clean branches that can be used as green fuel“, Afirma krishnamurthy.
