Elucidating N-acyl amino acids as a model protoamphiphilic system

Abstract

Protoamphiphiles – prebiotically plausible components of protocell membranes – could originate from a diverse set of amphiphiles, but studies so far have mostly been limited to fatty acid-based model systems. Here, the authors elucidate the abiotic synthesis of N-acyl amino acids under wet-dry cycles from amino acids and monoglycerides, characterize their vesicle formation and ability to act as a substrate for lipopeptide synthesis, thereby demonstrating N-acyl amino acids as a promising model protoamphiphile.