Prebiotic triose glycolysis promoted by co-catalytic proline and phosphate in neutral water

Proline and phosphate promote a near-quantitative aldol reaction between glycolaldehyde phosphate and formaldehyde at neutral pH in water. Our results demonstrate the important role of general acid-base catalysis in water and underscore the essential role that amino acid catalysis may have played in early evolution of life's core metabolic pathways. Co-catalytic proline and phosphate accelerate prebiotic aldol chemistry, setting the stage for a transition to enzymatic metabolism and highlighting the importance of general acid-based catalysis.