Cyclophosphates are a class of energy-rich compounds whose hydrolytic decomposition (ring opening) liberates energy that is sufficient for initiation of biomimetic phosphorylation reactions. Because of that, cyclophosphates might be considered as a likely source of reactive prebiotic phosphorus on early Earth. A major obstacle toward adoption of this hypothesis is that cyclophosphates have so far not been encountered in nature. We herein report on the discovery of these minerals in the terrestrial environment, at the Dead Sea basin in Israel. Cyclophosphates represent the most condensed phosphate species known in nature. A pathway for cyclophosphate geosynthesis is herein proposed, involving simple pyrolytic oxidation of terrestrial phosphides. Discovery of natural cyclophosphates opens new opportunities for modeling prebiotic phosphorylation reactions that resulted in the emergence of primordial life on our planet.
Research Article|
November 20, 2020
Cyclophosphates, a new class of native phosphorus compounds, and some insights into prebiotic phosphorylation on early Earth
Sergey N. Britvin
;
Sergey N. Britvin
1
Institute of Earth Sciences, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Nab. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia2
Kola Science Center, Fersman Str. 14, 184209 Apatity, Murmansk Region, Russia
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Michail N. Murashko
;
Michail N. Murashko
1
Institute of Earth Sciences, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Nab. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
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Yevgeny Vapnik
;
Yevgeny Vapnik
3
Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
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Natalia S. Vlasenko
;
Natalia S. Vlasenko
4
Centre for Geo-Environmental Research and Modelling, Saint Petersburg State University, Ulyanovskaya Str. 1, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
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Maria G. Krzhizhanovskaya
;
Maria G. Krzhizhanovskaya
1
Institute of Earth Sciences, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Nab. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
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Oleg S. Vereshchagin
;
Oleg S. Vereshchagin
1
Institute of Earth Sciences, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Nab. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
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Vladimir N. Bocharov
;
Vladimir N. Bocharov
4
Centre for Geo-Environmental Research and Modelling, Saint Petersburg State University, Ulyanovskaya Str. 1, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
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Maksim S. Lozhkin
Maksim S. Lozhkin
5
5 Resource Center “Nanophotonics”, Saint Petersburg State University, Ulyanovskaya Str. 1, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
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Geology (2020)
Article history
received:
28 Jul 2020
rev-recd:
29 Sep 2020
accepted:
04 Oct 2020
first online:
20 Nov 2020
Citation
Sergey N. Britvin, Michail N. Murashko, Yevgeny Vapnik, Natalia S. Vlasenko, Maria G. Krzhizhanovskaya, Oleg S. Vereshchagin, Vladimir N. Bocharov, Maksim S. Lozhkin; Cyclophosphates, a new class of native phosphorus compounds, and some insights into prebiotic phosphorylation on early Earth. Geology 2020; doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G48203.1
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