{"671469":{"#nid":"671469","#data":{"type":"external_news","title":"Shedding light on the synthesis of sugars before the origin of life","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPentoses are essential carbohydrates in the metabolism of modern lifeforms, but their availability during early Earth is unclear since these molecules are unstable. A new study led by the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, reveals a chemical pathway compatible with early Earth conditions and by which C6 aldonates could have acted as a source of pentoses without the need for enzymes. Their findings provide clues about primitive biochemistry and bring us closer to understanding the Origins of Life. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/charles-liotta\u0022\u003ECharles Liotta\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u0027 Professor Emeritus in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, is a co-author of the study.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPentoses are essential carbohydrates in the metabolism of modern lifeforms, but their availability during early Earth is unclear since these molecules are unstable. A new study led by the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, reveals a chemical pathway compatible with early Earth conditions and by which C6 aldonates could have acted as a source of pentoses without the need for enzymes. Their findings provide clues about primitive biochemistry and bring us closer to understanding the Origins of Life. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/charles-liotta\u0022\u003ECharles Liotta\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u0027 Professor Emeritus in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, is a co-author of the study.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2023-12-07 15:58:27","changed_gmt":"2023-12-07 15:59:36","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","publication":"Tokyo Institute of Technology ","field_article_url":"","publication_url":"https:\/\/www.eurekalert.org\/news-releases\/1008856","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-30T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-30T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"167445","name":"School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"},{"id":"179960","name":"Charles Liotta"},{"id":"168489","name":"sugars"},{"id":"136661","name":"origins of life"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}