Production of hydrogen cyanide from amino acids
March 26, 2026
Presenting a scenario for the origin of life independently of methane
A study group from Institute of Science Tokyo, the RIKEN CSRS and CEMS, and Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology discovered a reaction that directly produces hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from amino acids in water.
The Miller-Urey experiment in 1953 demonstrated that HCN was produced by electrical sparks, replicating lightening, through a methane-containing atmosphere, showing the potential for generating life-essential molecules such as amino acids and nucleic acids. This experiment became a foundation for research on the origin of life. However, recent studies suggest the possibility that the atmosphere of early Earth contained a trace of methane. Thus, the mechanism of producing HCN in primitive Earth still remains an important question.
In this study, the study group investigated 38 minerals abundant on Earth and discovered that HCN was produced from a mineral called manganese dioxide (MnO2) by reaction with amino acids. This reaction proceeds at a mild temperature under a wide range of aqueous conditions from acidity to alkalinity. The study group also confirmed that HCN was produced from several amino acids and peptides.
The study indicated that HCN could be produced from amino acids synthesized from ammonia without assuming a methane-containing atmosphere. Since the reaction that produces HCN from amino acids is also observed in extant life, it indicates an association between chemical reactions before the birth of life and metabolism of living organisms. These findings offer a new clue to the understanding of chemical evolution.
- Original article
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences doi: 10.1073/pnas.2515805123
- Z. Yang, Y. Li, N. Kitadai, M. Yamamoto, Y. Ueno, Y. Lu, A. Li, K. Adachi, A. Yamaguchi, D. Hashizume, R. Nakamura,
- "Mineral-facilitated aqueous synthesis of hydrogen cyanide from prebiotically abundant amino acids for chemical evolution".
- Contact
- Ryuhei Nakamura
Team Director
Biofunctional Catalyst Research Team
