Pentoses are essential carbohydrates in the metabolism of modern lifeforms, but their availability on early Earth is unclear since these molecules are unstable. Now, researchers reveal a chemical ...

(a) Proposed protometabolic pentose pathway leading to the accumulation of aldonates followed by nonselective oxidation to uronates, carbonyl migration, and β-decarboxylation. (b) First few steps of ...

Pentoses are essential carbohydrates in the metabolism of modern lifeforms, but their availability during early Earth is unclear since these molecules are unstable. A new study led by the Earth-Life ...