Quantum Dots in Peroxidase-like Chemistry and Formamide-Based Hot Spring Synthesis of Nucleobases
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Date
2022-04-23
Authors
Nejdl, Lukáš
Petera, Lukáš
Šponer, Judit
Zemánková, Kristýna
Pavelicová, Kristýna
Knížek, Antonín
Adam, Vojtěch
Vaculovičová, Markéta
Ivanek, Ondřej
Ferus, Martin
0000-0001-6332-8917Advisor
Referee
Mark
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Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert
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Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) are usually seen as artificial semiconductor particles exhibiting optical and electronic properties interesting for nanotechnological applications. However, they may also play a role in prebiotic chemistry. Starting from zinc acetate, cadmium acetate, and mercaptosuccinic acid, we demonstrate the formation of ZnCd QDs upon UV irradiation in prebiotic liquid formamide. We show that ZnCd QDs are able to increase the yield of RNA nucleobase synthesis from formamide up to 300 times, suggesting they might have served as universal catalysts in a primordial milieu. Based on the experimentally observed peroxidase-like activity of ZnCd QDs upon irradiation with visible light, we propose that QDs could be relevant to a broad variety of processes relating to the emergence of terrestrial life.
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Peer-reviewed
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en