Magic20と生命の起原(原田馨先生を偲んで)

概要

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Twenty ammo acids used for protein synthesis during the translation processes, are often called as Magic 20. When and how members of the magic 20 are selected are fundamental subjects for the studies on origins of life. The magic 20 shares three common chemical features; (1) all are so-to-speak "alpha amino acids", that is, the alpha carbon atom is combined with one each of amino group and carboxyl group, (2) the alpha carbon atom of all members is also combined with a hydrogen atom and this hydrogen atom is seated at the specific site of the alpha carbon given raise to L-amino acids if the last position is occupied with any atoms or groups other than hydrogen, and (3) the last position remained at the alpha carbon is substituted with either hydrogen atom or methyl or substituted methyl groups. At moment, any chemical evolution experiment so far carried out could not explain the origin of these unique features of chemical structure. The selection of side chain structures seems to be fortuitous or fitful since no rational basis can be found. The author encourages artificial life-synthesis studies rather than simulated primitive-earth experiments to understand the origins of the magic 20. This article is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Kaoru Harada.
2012-06-20