The structure of life's first genetic polymer is a question intense ongoing debate. “RNA world theory” suggests RNA was nucleic acid. However, ribonucleotides are complex chemical structures, and simpler acids, such as threose acid (TNA), can carry information. In principle, acids like TNA could have played vital role in the origins life. advent any life requires synthesis its monomers. Here we...

Semi-synthetic β-lactam antibiotics are synthesized enzymatically with the use of penicillin G acylase (PGA). Currently, PGA only exhibits weak diastereoselectivity with respect to the alpha amino group of rac-phenylglycine methyl ester (rac-PGME) when it is coupled with 6-aminopenicillanic acid to synthesize ampicillin. Therefore, we sought to improve the diastereoselectivity of PGA by targeti...