ADP Archives

Conceptual model illustrating a possible evolutionary trajectory of ATP-generating enzymes. Under prebiotic conditions with a limited amino acid repertoire, kinase-like proteins resembling Arc1-12KR or Arc1-11K may have generated ATP through ADP disproportionation (2ADP → ATP + AMP). As the amino acid alphabet expanded toward the LUCA era, this chemistry was likely superseded by the emergence of modern NDKs, which catalyze phosphoryl transfer between NTPs and NDPs, and by adenylate kinases, which catalyze the reversible reaction 2ADP ⇌ ATP + AMP. Ultimately, the evolution of rotary ATP synthases enabled efficient ATP production from ADP and inorganic phosphate. -- biorxiv.org

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Emergence Of A Potentially Ancestral ATP-synthesizing Activity Under Prebiotic Amino Acid Constraints

by Keith CowingFebruary 25, 2026February 25, 2026

The earliest enzymes are thought to have been composed of the limited amino acid repertoire available on prebiotic Earth. However, how such compositional simplicity shaped catalytic capability remains unclear.

ADP

Emergence Of A Potentially Ancestral ATP-synthesizing Activity Under Prebiotic Amino Acid Constraints

Mars Curiosity Reaches 1-Kilometer Elevation Gain

Dragonfly Gets Wired Up While Titan Landing Area Is Named

Amplified Cooling Of Snowball Earth From A Salt-albedo Feedback

Prebiotic Cationic Amino Acids Support Formation Of An Ancient Protein Fold

The Ultraviolet Spectrograph on ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer Mission (JUICE-UVS)