Prebiotic synthesis of histidyl-histidine

J Mol Evol. 1990 Sep;31(3):175-9. doi: 10.1007/BF02109493.

Abstract

Histidyl-histidine (His-His) has been synthesized in a yield of up to 14.4% under plausible prebiotic conditions using histidine (His), cyanamide, and 4-amino-5-imidazole carboxamide. A trace amount of His trimer was also detected. Because the imidazole group of His is involved in a number of important enzymatic reactions, and His-His has been shown to catalyze the prebiotic synthesis of glycyl-glycine, we expect this work will stimulate further studies on the catalytic activities of simple His-containing peptides in prebiotic reactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aminoimidazole Carboxamide / chemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Cyanamide / chemistry
  • Dipeptides / analysis
  • Dipeptides / chemical synthesis*
  • Evolution, Chemical*
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Glycylglycine / chemistry
  • Histidine / chemistry
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Dipeptides
  • Glycylglycine
  • histidylhistidine
  • Aminoimidazole Carboxamide
  • Cyanamide
  • Histidine